Sweet Corruption
by Ultrawoman
Summary: AUFantasyAll Human. It is no surprise to anyone when Faith is thrown out by her mother for her bad behaviour. Her innocent little halfsister, Buffy, hates the situation, until she meets Faith’s latest boyfriend and temporary roommate, Spike.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : Despite having inspiration for stories in other fandoms lately, the Buffyverse is still my comfort zone, the fandom I am still most confident to write for. Here's hoping you all like my latest offering of the Spuffy kind, although I warn you, the actual Spike and Buffy love might tale a while to get to in this one...**

**Title : Sweet Corruption**

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Rating : PG-13**

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Summary : AUFantasy/All Human. It is no surprise to anyone when Faith is thrown out by her mother for her bad behaviour. Her innocent little half-sister, Buffy, hates the situation, until she meets Faith's latest boyfriend and temporary room-mate, Spike.**

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Disclaimer : Any recognisable characters from Buffy and/or Angel belong to the mighty Joss Whedon for he rules over the kingdom of the Scoobies and the Fang Gang, and all other associated persons!**_

Chapter 1

"Faith, please, you can't just go like this!" sixteen year old Buffy Giles cried as she watched her older half-sister throw various items of clothing and other belongings into a large bag.

"I got no choice, kiddo" Faith shook her head, not stopping or even sparing a glance for the other girl. If she saw her tears she might let her own escape and she was not going to let that happen. Nobody had seen her cry in over ten years, she wasn't about to let a record like that go to hell just because her Mom was throwing her out.

"You do so have a choice" Buffy argued, "Just talk to Mom and Dad, I know they'll change their minds, if you just say you're sorry..."

"But that's just it, B" Faith told her, "I'm not sorry, and I ain't a liar so I'm not going to pretend"

"You don't want to" Buffy snapped, sadness turning to anger at her sister's apathetic attitude, "You don't care about staying here, or me, or anything except yourself" she said nastily, slamming out of the bedroom and into her own.

"Damn!" Faith cursed, throwing the shoe she had in her hand down onto the bed where it landed with a dull thud. She sat down beside it and put her face in her hands momentarily before running her fingers back through her hair.

She couldn't live like this anymore, and her mother and step-father had made it crystal clear they couldn't deal either. All she really regretted was hurting Buffy in all this. B was a sweet kid most of the time, a little bratty and spoilt but that wasn't her fault. She was Mommy's little angel, and Daddy's little princess. Faith herself was a nasty mistake and she knew it.

Joyce Summers had met Tom Lehane in High School. He'd transferred in Senior year and they'd fallen for each other on sight. They dated and he took her to the High school prom, the night just like something out of a fairytale as they danced and laughed and later cemented their relationship in the physical act of love making.

Though the night had been perfect and the following few weeks just as magical, there was no happily ever after for Joyce and Tom. The day she found out she was expecting his baby she'd been over-joyed but his own opinion on the matter was less good. They were only eighteen, and in Tom's opinion way too young to be thinking about settling down in a marriage with kids and jobs and a house with a white picket fence. Joyce had managed to persuade him they could be happy and eventually her boyfriend caved, agreeing they would make the best of an awkward situation and attempt to bring up their baby together. It was a big mistake.

Joyce ended up literally holding the baby all day and all night as Tom spent daylight hours working and the night going out to get drunk. His fiancé, since they never had quite made it down the aisle, was all too aware of the women that went with the nights of beer and laughter, but poor Joyce put up with Tom's behaviour, hoping he may in time change and wanting his help where Faith was concerned. Her parents had already practically disowned her when they found out she was pregnant by the boy they'd always considered unsuitable for their daughter.

It was when little Faith was four that Tom finally left after an argument that there was no going back from. Joyce had snapped and sent him on his way when he'd told her Faith was the biggest mistake he ever made and that 'the brat should have been destroyed when we had the chance'. To this day nobody knew the little girl had heard those words, or how they'd haunted her for years afterwards, even now.

Tom left town a few days later with no intention of ever coming back as Joyce cried, thinking her life was over now. She was barely twenty-one, alone in the world, and stuck with a small child she'd made with a man that had changed beyond recognition. Though she loved her baby and brought her up as best she could, things were never easy, at least not until Giles came along.

Faith laughed painfully to herself as she picked up the picture from her nightstand. She wouldn't have it out on display if it weren't for the fact Buffy had decorated it herself with shells from the beach from their last family vacation. It was years ago now, but there they were, all smiling and seemingly having a good time. There were days when Faith didn't mind her step-dad so much, and others when she resented him for not being her real Dad, the father she wished Tom Lehane could've been if he loved her like he ought to have done. Same thing applied to Buffy, who Faith could find a little love for most of the time, but never quite enough when Joyce and Giles doted on their baby girl and seemed to leave Faith out in the cold.

The older girl didn't exactly help herself much. Her wild behaviour encouraged her parents to think badly of her and treat her the way they did. She knew she deserved to be grounded as a teen when she got caught smoking or playing hooky from school, but it didn't make the experience any more fun.

Buffy was such a princess, and so perfect. She worked hard in school, had earned herself a place on the cheerleading squad, and was adored by everyone, almost the exact opposite of her half-sister. The only attention she got was from teachers who wanted to yell at her, girls who wanted to fight with her, and guys who wanted to sleep with her. She found a certain amount of fun in all three types of situation, the last one most of all.

Faith's cell rang into life on the bed beside her and she scooped it up, grinning suddenly when she caught sight of the name.

"Hey, hot stuff" she said as she got back on her feet and continued to pack, holding the phone between her chin and her shoulder.

"Hello, luv" her boyfriend replied, holding his own cellphone to his ear and driving one handed towards Revello Drive, "Just got your message five minutes ago. What's going on?" he asked. The message she'd left on his voicemail was mostly curse words followed by a demand that he get to her house as soon as possible, as yet he didn't know why though.

"I'll explain when you get here" she said cryptically, "I just need a favour is all"

"Yeah, well, you know the deal, luv" Spike smirked as he rounded another corner jut making to through the traffic lights before they turned red, "I do you a favour, might need somethin' back from you" he told her, making Faith laugh.

"You name it, baby, you know I'll play" she smiled, "but right now I gotta go. Got somethin' I need to do before you get here"

"Don't take too long, luv" Spike told her, "Barely a few streets away from your place"

She said okay, and they both hung up making it easier for Faith to finish packing. She pushed her cell into her pocket, swung her bag over her shoulder and headed out the bedroom door, and across the landing to Buffy's own.

"Yo, B" she yelled, as she banged on the wood, "You come say goodbye now or not at all. I'm gone either way" she warned, waiting a few seconds before the door swung open.

"Please, Faith" she tried again to plead with her sister, "Please try to talk things out with Mom, she doesn't really want you to go"  
"There's nothin' left to say, B" Faith told her gently, "Me and the parents, we had a deal. I lose one more job, I get my butt out of here"

It was true, the deal had been made and now the consequences must be faced. Faith had dropped out of High School aged seventeen, convincing her mother there was no point in her attending anymore, she just wasn't academically minded. Instead, she swore she would get a job and earn money to pay her way. Though Joyce and Giles finally agreed, things didn't go according to plan. Faith had three jobs in the first month after leaving Sunnydale High and she got herself fired from every single one. A large portion of her time was spent unemployed, crashed out in front of the TV eating junk all day then playing the night away with various unsavoury young men over the time. Up until yesterday she'd always been given the benefit of the doubt for months that turned into years, but now it was over. It had been too much for Joyce to take when she'd received a call from her daughter via the police station, after her girl got arrested for assault.

"But it's not your fault!" Buffy protested, making Faith laugh.

"I kicked a guy in the face and knocked him out cold, B" she reminded her sister, "You can't just say 'Oops I slipped' and hope it'll be okay"

"I know you had a reason" the blonde shook her head, tears falling from her eyes, "I don't know what it is and I don't care but you wouldn't just do that, I know it" she told her, "If you just tell Mom what happened..."

"She doesn't care enough to listen, sweetie" Faith told her sitter sadly, "It ain't her fault, y'know?" she shrugged as a car horn blasted from the driveway, "That's my guy" the dark-haired girl smirked as she leaned in to hug her half-sister briefly with one arm, "See ya, kiddo" she said too softly as she bounced down the stairs. Joyce and Giles got to their feet as the girl passed them by, not even sparing them a glance as she slammed out of the front door. They thought she was being thoughtless and nasty, she was just trying not to show how bad she felt.

"Alright, pet?" Spike checked as he got out of the car and came over to Faith.

"Five by five" she assured him with a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes, "I just need a place to crash for a while is all" she admitted as he eyed her large bag with suspicion.

"Mum and evil Step-Dad chuck you out did they?" he checked, head tilted as he looked at her, wondering what had happened this time. He'd been dating Faith on and off for a little more than three months. It surprised them both how they hadn't got bored of each other yet, since most of their previous 'relationships' hadn't made it beyond the first fortnight. Still they had something between them that kept them coming back for more and it wasn't just the great sex they had together, though it helped.

"Kind of" Faith shrugged, "Long story, and it's all pretty boring" she sighed as she dumped her bag at her feet and reached to put her arms around his neck, "I just need some gorgeous guy to offer to take me home with him is all. What do you say, Spikey?" she smiled suggestively, kissing his face, "You got room for little old me at your place for a while?"

"Well, see, that all depends" Spike told her, smirking as he pulled her body close to his and whispered in her ear, "You gonna make it worth my while?"

Faith laughed at that before whispering her answer to him, knowing exactly what would make him most happy. In seconds he had her and her bag in the car and was driving like a bat out of hell towards his home, that would be hers too for a while. Buffy heard the screech of the tyres on the road but by the time she made it to the window all she saw was the very back of the black DeSoto speeding around the corner, taking her sister with it. The blonde cried partly because she was upset but mostly because she was just so damn angry. She wished her Mom and Faith could get along better, and that they'd both try harder. She wished her Dad was a little less British and snappy sometimes, especially with her sister. Most of all Buffy Giles wished that she didn't love Faith so damn much. They were only half-sisters and they fought constantly but underneath it all they always cared a great deal about each other. They had their petty jealousies and their typical sibling fights, but Buffy never wanted Faith to leave, not like this.

One day of course everybody had to grow up and move out, Buffy knew one day she would too, but when the family split into seperate homes she wanted it to be because of love, and marriage, and good things like that, not because it had become impossible for her family to get along anymore.

The picture on her dresser taunted Buffy as she glanced at it. Her happy little family. That was a joke. She was torn between bursting into tears and screaming from pure frustration when her cell phone started to ring from it's spot in the middle of her bed.

"Hey Will" she sniffed as she answered it, knowing from the specific ring tone it was her best girl-friend.

"You okay, Buffy?" Willow checked, frowning slightly at her friends tone, it sounded as if she were crying or perhaps trying not to.

"Faith's gone" she explained, "After yesterday, I kinda guessed there'd be another fight with her and Mom and Dad but... I never thought she'd really go Will"

"Oh" was all Willow could find to say She felt desperately sorry for her friend obviously, but at the same time she couldn't say she was really anything but glad to hear Faith no longer lived at 1630 Revello Drive. Willow and Buffy had been friends since they were little kids and from Day One Faith had always disliked the shy little red-head and teased her mercilessly. Though it was different now and they were older the two young women did not get along at all and Willow would not be sorry that her friends sister would not be around if she visited or stayed over at the Giles' house anymore.

"I was gonna ask if you wanted to come to the Bronze tonight with me and Xander" she said eventually, "But I guess you're not really in the mood"

"Not so much" Buffy agreed, "but you should still go, have fun" she sniffed again and Willow sighed.

"No, I couldn't" she told her, "We couldn't have any fun at all knowing you're all teary and alone. How 'bout we come over to your house instead and bring ice-cream?" the red-head suggested, "You think you're Mom would mind?"

"I don't know" Buffy shook her head, "I doubt it'd be a big deal, and I'd like the distraction" she considered, "Yeah, tell Xander I'd love for you to both come over, I'll run it past Mom and Dad but I'm almost certain it'll be fine"

"Okay, sweetie" Willow smiled, glad she had come up with a helpful suggestion, "We'll be over around seven"

"Sounds great" Buffy nodded to herself, "I'll see you then"

The two friends hung up and the blonde glanced again at the family photo on her dresser. She sadly shook her head as she picked it up, opened the drawer and shut the framed picture inside where she could no longer see it. She didn't need Faith, not if she didn't even care enough about her to stay and try and work things out with Mom and Dad. If she wanted to leave then it's good that she did. Buffy could get along just fine without her sister, she was her own woman now. Sixteen years old was old enough to make it through life without your twenty two year old sister looking out for her all the time, she told herself, not that Faith ever did much watching of Buffy's back anyway.

"I don't need her" she said aloud, wiping the tears from her cheeks and getting up from her bed.

Within the next five minutes she'd have her parents mind off her half-sister too, she smiled as she bounded down the stairs. She was their little girl, the one who was a part of both of them. They loved their little princess and Buffy didn't mind the attention at all. Her two best friends would come over tonight and make a big deal out of cheering her up too.

"Who needs a sister?" she muttered to herself on the easy through to the kitchen where she could hear her parents talking now, "I don't"

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : I really hope this story turns out to be as good a syou're all hoping. Oh, and I fixed the first chapter. I'm so used to writing 'Buffy Summers' that even though her father is Giles in this fic, I forgot to change her last name! Anyway, that's fixed now. Hope you like this new chapter!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 2

Buffy lasted a week on the whole 'I don't need my sister' riff. The night Faith left, Willow and Xander came over expecting a teary-eyed blonde mess, missing her sister so terribly already. What they'd found was a chirpy, smiley, happy girl, with plans to knock through the wall between her room and that which was once Faiths own, so she could have twice the closet space for her clothes and twice the wall space for her posters.

"But Faith's not gone for good, right?" Xander frowned as he lay on his friends bed beside her, Willow sitting in front as they all faced the TV, half-watching some foreign movie that could be about anything from a water buffalo to a maypole.

"Maybe not" Buffy shrugged, giving up on braiding Will's hair for a moment as she took a slug of soda from the can by the bed, "I don't care either way, it's not like she's my real sister or anything"

"But you still love her like she was" Willow reminded her, "At least, sometimes you do" she amended, remembering the flaming arguments the two young women sometimes had. As much as she disliked Faith herself, Willow didn't like to think of siblings, even the half kind, losing contact somehow. She was an only child herself and believed those blessed with brothers and sisters should make the most of the special bond.

"I don't know" Buffy said non-committally, unable to look her friend in the eye as she focused on the Hindi woman singing to her telephone on the TV screen, "So why is this woman so waily again?" she asked about the movie, hoping to change the subject and her friends had let it go after that.

For days Buffy had kept up the act at home and at school, pretending like Faith was gone to the moon or somewhere just as far. In reality she was just a couple of miles down the road, something confirmed to Buffy when she got a text from her sister saying just that. She hadn't replied, inside she was glad to receive the message, but for the most part she was still angry at Faith for leaving like she had. Mom and Dad just weren't the same since she'd gone either, they both seemed to regret letting the older girl go, Giles perhaps more so than Joyce despite the fact Faith was only his step daughter.

It was Friday night that had been the final straw for Buffy. The school and had been it's usual dull and boring until the very end. Willow and Xander had stayed behind in the library so the red-head could help her friend with is algebra homework, whilst Buffy had said goodbye and left them to it. She began to walk out of the school building and towards the gates when a voice called to her from the parking lot. The voice belonged to Parker Abrams, one of the hottest guys in the Senior year. Being just a Junior, Buffy was surprised to realise Parker even knew her name and the fact he'd called to her in front of half the student body thrilled her beyond words. With a shy smile she changed direction and walked over to him.

"Hey Parker" she said softly, barely recognising her own little voice.

"Hey, I'm kinda glad I saw you alone" the young man replied with a grin, "I wondered if you maybe wanted a ride home?" he asked as he leant on his sports car and smiled like a guy from a toothpaste ad.

To Buffy he looked so perfect and the fact he was asking her if she wanted to ride in his car with him, something she knew would make almost every friend and enemy she had jealous as hell, Buffy could barely take it in.

"I... I'd love it" she said eventually and Parker smiled as he moved around the car to open the door for her.

The journey from the school to her home was way too short for Buffy's liking but also a magical experience. She shivered in the best way when Parker's fingers brushed her knee as he shifted gear and blushed when he spared her a glance and a smile when they stopped for a red light.

She'd had no idea when they arrived outside 1630 Revello Drive that her mother was home from work early and watching every move she and Parker made. Not that anything happened, he hadn't even tried to kiss her, not really. He'd just taken her hand in his, told her he'd really like to get to know her better and then kissed her knuckles before he let her out of the car. Buffy practically floated up to the front door, stopping there to wave to Parker before letting herself into the house.

That's when Joyce had exploded. She'd warned her daughter so many times about the dangers of trusting strangers, most especially boys with cars. She knew how young men took advantage of young girls like Buffy and she refused to see her little girl have her life ruined by getting impregnated or infected by some slimy Senior of Sunnydale High.

"Parker is not a stranger and he would never take advantage of me or anything, Mom!" Buffy had wailed, close to tears, "He's just a guy who likes me, and I like him. Besides I'm almost seventeen years old!" she pointed out, making Joyce laugh painfully.

"You think just because you've past your sixteenth birthday that makes you an adult?" she asked incredulously, "Buffy, sweetheart, you have no idea what the world is really like"

"I know what I feel!" she'd protested, wondering how the situation had spiralled out of control look this. She hardly ever argued with her mother like this, she almost always got her own way, but it seemed Joyce was quite determined that Buffy's liking of Parker was something that needed to end, and the sooner the better. She'd given up when Buffy had run off up the stairs, bawling her eyes out, the bedroom door slammed shut behind her and the young girl cried for an hour, letting out much more emotion than simply that linked to Parker and her argument with her mother.

* * *

It was almost time for dinner when Buffy decided she was going to go see Faith. She tried calling her but her cellphone just rang and rang. Still, at this time of day she knew her half-sister would still be home, even if she had managed to get job which was unlikely. She didn't go out to the clubs till much later, so she'd probably be at home drinking, and cursing at the TV like she sometimes did.

Buffy didn't like the idea of sneaking out without her parents noticing, but she knew they wouldn't approve of her going to see Faith, especially given the state of the neighbourhood she was now living in, but Buffy was still mad at Joyce for accusing her and Parker of doing something wrong, she was determined to do what she wanted. Faith understood about guys and about independence, she was definitely the person to talk to about this.

'Besides', Buffy thought as she silently opened the front door and stepped out, glad her parents were busy in the kitchen and not paying any attention to her, 'it's not exactly crime of the century, I just want to visit my sister' she thought to herself as she checked the address Faith had given her and headed off down the darkening streets, not knowing what exactly she'd find when she got there.

* * *

"If it's those bloody whinging neighbours again, I'm gonna..." Spike's threat was left unfinished as he flung open the front door that someone had been banging on for the past five minutes whilst he was trying to take a shower, "Who the bloody hell are you?" he asked, pushing his wet bleached blond hair out of his face and checking the towel wrapped around his waist was secure as he stared at the young girl on the other side of the doorway.

Buffy swallowed hard as her eyes wandered over the gorgeous form of this man, droplets of water running from his hair down over his perfect cheek bones, onto a well sculpted chest and arms and... she daren't let her eyes go any lower as her imagination hit overdrive and the Adonis-type stranger snapped his fingers in her face trying to get her attention onto what he was saying and not how he looked.

"Er, pet, you standin' on my doorstep for a reason?" he checked, "I mean, other than to check out my goods" he added with a smirk as he realised that's exactly what she'd been doing.

"I... I was looking for my sister, Faith" Buffy forced out and Spike frowned a little before realisation dawned across his features.

"Bloody hell" he gasped, "You must be Buffy then?" he checked and she nodded awkwardly, wondering what awful things Faith might have been saying about her, "Bugger me, she said you were just a little bit" Spike smirked, "Never told me you were so grown up and gorgeous" he winked as he heard his girlfriend call his name, "Might wanna get out here, luv" he called back and Buffy didn't know where to look as her sister emerged into view, also wrapped in a towel that barely covered her essentials and dripping water all over the place.

"Baby, I thought you were coming back to... oh" she stopped when she spotted Buffy in the doorway, "B! What you doin' here, sis?" she asked with a grin, not at all embarrassed by the situation as a normal person might've been.

"You said I could visit anytime" Buffy shrugged, "but y'know I could just go if..."

"No, luv, don't do that" Spike insisted as the blonde turned to leave. Faith rolled her eyes at him. She would have been quite happy for her little sister to go away and come back later when she and Spike were less 'busy', but he was just too damned nice sometimes, and it was those times she wondered why she stuck with him.

"Yeah, come on in, B" Faith urged her, "I'll go throw on some clothes and we can, y'know, talk or whatever, k?"

"Okay" Buffy nodded as she squeezed past her sister's semi-naked boyfriend and came into the dingy little apartment.

"You sit yourself down, pet" Spike told her as she eyed the couch warily, worried it might collapse if she put even her tiny weight on it, "We'll be right back" the bleached blond added before he disappeared behind a door that Buffy assumed led the bedroom since it seemed Faith had gone back to the bathroom already.

Deciding that staying on her feet might be safer, Buffy wandered around the small living space and tiny kitchen that was all the one room of the apartment. There wasn't much to see, no pictures or anything really. The coffee table held just a few empty beer cans and potato chip packets that hadn't made it to the trash yet and an ash tray full of cigarette butts that she assumed were mostly Spike's since despite all her sisters bad habits she wasn't much of a smoker. Buffy smiled as she thought to herself 'Okay, so he has nicotine issues but can you really blame Faith for dating him?'

God, he had to be the most gorgeous guy Buffy had ever seen outside of television and movies, but he was also easily five or six years older than her, and her sister's boyfriend. There was little to no point having daydreams about a guy like Spike, he was almost as inaccessible as the hot guy from Lord of the Rings, and besides Buffy had Parker in her life so what other man could she possibly want or need?

_To Be Continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N : Glad I have a few fans for this fic. It's probably going to get long and complicated along the way, here's hoping you all stick with it!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 3

"So, what brings my little sister to this neck of the woods after dark?" Faith asked as she rejoined Buffy in the living room, wearing tight jeans now and fastening what appeared to be one of Spike's shirts over a tiny vest top.

"I just wanted to talk is all" Buffy shrugged, daring to sit down on the couch only when Faith did so. It was the fact she couldn't meet her sister's eyes when she said it that told Faith there was a bigger reason than that for Buffy's social call.

"And what? This is a non-Mom/Princess type talk?" Faith laughed a little, "What the hell is there that you can't talk to her about, B? Unless..." she paused and glanced at Spike, telling him with her eyes to get lost.

"Er, I'm gonna make a coffee" he said, disappearing into the kitchen area, whistling deliberately loudly as if that'd stop him hearing what the girls were saying. Of course at that range he'd still get most of it and he was intrigued to know what Faith's apparently perfect little sixteen year old sister would want to come and ask her about. The way his girl told it, the two didn't exactly get along so well most of the time.

"Okay, spill" Faith ordered as she pulled her legs up under herself, so she was sitting lotus style on the couch, "Which guy is this about and what the hell did he do that made Mom flip?"

"Faith!" Buffy gasped, "My God, I didn't... there was nothing that... you know I don't do stuff like that" she said going crimson as she craned her neck to catch a look of Spike and make sure he wasn't listening. Of course he'd heard every word but turned his head when he caught her looking so she didn't see him smirking at her confession. He wished he'd been half so innocent at sixteen, and he knew Faith definitely hadn't been.

"So what's the sitch, B, cos I ain't got all day, y'know?" the older girl sighed, checking the clock on the wall. Buffy didn't notice.

"Well, see, there's this guy..." Buffy began awkwardly and Faith rolled her eyes as she was proven right - this was a guy issue, "His name is Parker and he's like the most gorgeous, excellent, coolest guy in school, like in the whole world of ever... and he kinda drove me home"

"And what? He wanted payment?" Faith checked, with a strange emphasis on the last word that Buffy so didn't get, "Geez, B, are you really my sister?" she laughed, "He wanted a ride for the ride, right?" she tried again and Buffy's eyes went wide as dinner plates.

"Eeeeewww" she exclaimed, holding the sound so long Spike wondered if she was going for a world record as he returned to them with a mug of coffee in his hand.

"Hey, jerk, where's mine?" Faith asked him as he sat himself down in the chair.

"Still in the pot, I'd wager" Spike smirked annoyingly, drinking down his own beverage. Faith rolled her eyes, climbed off the couch and smacked him upside the head on her way to the kitchen to get herself a drink. Buffy glanced awkwardly at Spike, her mind working overdrive as it recalled his state of undress just a few moments ago.

"So, if this guy didn't try nothin'" Faith yelled to her sister from across the room, "What's got the parents all wound up?"

"I don't know" Buffy shrugged, "They have this crazy idea that Parker is some kind of rabid animal, and he is so totally not an animal... well, maybe a cute little puppy" she considered with a dopey grin, "but of the totally non-dangerous variety"

"Hang on a sec, pet" Spike said, suddenly frowning, "You just say Parker, as in Abrams?"

"You know him?" Buffy asked with a look that said she wasn't totally believing him right now. After all, how would a punkish freak guy like her sisters boyfriend Spike, know a sweetie like Parker?

"Know of him" the bleached blond nodded as Faith returned to the couch and handed a mug to her sister. Buffy eyed the less than perfectly clean receptacle with some distaste before setting it down on the table in the only space she could find amongst the trash that covered it.

"Parker Abrams" Faith repeated as she sipped her drink, "Not that kid with the rep for..."

"The very one" Spike responded to the slight eye movement Faith used to finish her sentence. Buffy missed that and glanced between the two of them as if she were watching a tennis match.

"Okay, what are you guys talking about?" she eventually demanded to know and Spike sighed.

"'S not my place to say, luv, but since I don't fancy seein' Faithie's little sis get mixed up with scum like that, I'd advise you to steer clear of that creep Parker Abrams, alright?"

"But he's nice, and... and he likes me" Buffy looked to Faith who shook her head sadly.

"He likes the sight of your bod in tight clothes, sweetie" her sister told her, "He's strictly the come and go type"

Buffy made a face at that comment, in particular the way Faith emphasised her words.

"Sorry, B" her sister shrugged, not really looking all that genuine as her cellphone rang into life on the table. She leant over to grab it and cursed when she saw who it was. She took the call and disappeared from the room, apparently talking to someone called Illyria.

"Life sucks" Buffy sighed mostly to herself and Spike smirked.

"Yeah, it does at that sometimes" he agreed with her, "Be worse if you got mixed up with Abrams, luv, believe you me"

"Whatever" the blonde huffed, not loving being told what to do by her sister and especially her sisters boyfriend, but then if it was for her own good, if Parker really was like that, well Faith and Spike were the kind of people who would know.

"I should have taste like Willow" she laughed painfully, "Wesley is such a loser, he'd never turn out to be a guy with a rep for badness"

"Should think not too" Spike said, tilting his head to one side and still smirking as he stared at her, "I take it you mean Wesley Wyndham-Pryce?" he checked, presuming he'd be right since the boy was a Senior at Sunnyhell High and did look like quite the stereotypical geek most of the time.

"Don't tell me you know him too" Buffy said incredulously, her wide eyes making Spike laugh a little into the last of his coffee.

"Ought to, pet, since he's my cousin" he told her and she immediately went crimson, realising she'd just called Wes a loser and therefore insulted the guy in front of a member of his family, "Might look like a loser to you, luv, but you should see him handle a motorbike. Bloody good at that, but then he got taught by a virtual expert" he winked, and Buffy knew from that he meant himself.

"Yo, B!" Faith yelled, interrupting a little moment that her sister was really quite enjoying. Spike seemed sweet in a bad-boy kind of way, and he was built like a Greek God. For once in her young life, Buffy understood why Faith had chosen the boyfriend that she had. She'd had some ugly and nasty guys in her life before, but Spike was different, Buffy liked him already.

"Mom's just realised you're gone and she'd completely spazzing" Faith explained as she barged back into the living room, "And if that wasn't enough fun for one night I gotta go deal with Illyria" she sighed, shoving her phone in her pocket and pulling on her jacket.

"What's up with the silly bint now?" Spike rolled his eyes. This was the third time this week Faith's freaky friend with the blue streaked hair had called and 'needed' her.

"I told you she's going through a rough patch right now" his girlfriend reminded him, "I gotta go talk to her before she does somethin' real stupid. You can give Buffy a ride home right?" she checked, not waiting for an answer as she kissed him hard on the mouth and disappeared out of the front door, yelling to Buffy that they'd talk again soon.

"Right then" Spike nodded to himself, before glancing at the young blonde, "Looks like it's just you and me pet"

Buffy just smiled a little nervously at that remark as he took the empty coffee mugs back to the kitchen and hunted down his car keys amongst the destruction that was the work top. If Joyce freaked so easily about a guy like Parker driving her home, Buffy didn't know what she'd do if she caught sight of Spike. It would be okay for her to know he was dating Faith, she'd given up caring about her older daughter in that way it seemed, but there's no way she's approve of her little baby girl getting a ride home from this particular bleached blond, especially alone in the dark.

Buffy was smiling to herself as she followed Spike out of the apartment, down the stairs and around to where the car was parked. If he were anybody else she'd probably run screaming if he offered to drive her home, but since he was Faith's guy he was probably safe, she guessed. Besides, as scary as he might appear to be with his leather coat worthy of a creature of the night, and the scar over his eye that you just know he got in a nasty gang fight of some kind, Buffy wondered if he was as bad-ass as he seemed.

After all he said he taught his geeky cousin to ride motorcycles, and he was really nice to her, complimenting her and not turning her away from his home when it was kinda obvious Faith would've.

"Somethin' amusing you, pet?" he asked, glancing between the road and her face as he drove her home.

"No, no, not really" Buffy denied it fast, "I just... I was just thinking, maybe you could drop me off at the top of the road. I mean not that I'm not really grateful for the ride and all but if my Mom see's you..."

"Right" Spike smirked, nodding in understanding before she'd even finished what she was saying, "Dear old Mum wouldn't mind Faithie livin' with me but if the Little Princess got caught in my car, that'd be a whole different story, right?"

"I guess so" Buffy sighed, "It's so lame, I mean, it's not like you're dangerous or anything"

"Know that for a fact, do you, luv?" he asked her with a brief look that sent shivers down Buffy's spine, but in a really good way.

"Maybe not" she conceded, "but I'm not afraid of you" she lied, knowing that deep down she was just a little bit nervous about being alone with this guy. He was right, she didn't know him, couldn't be certain he wasn't going to take advantage of her situation, little girl lost in the dark. Of course in truth he would never do something so disgusting, that wasn't the type of bloke he was.

"Good to know" Spike said eventually as he pulled the car to a halt at the top of Revello Drive, "Sure you're alright walking alone from here?" he asked as Buffy unclicked her seatbelt and rolled her eyes at him like any sixteen year old would.

"It's like fifty paces to my house, Spike, and I'm sixteen years old, not six" she reminded him, making him smile.

"Reckon the sarcasm gene comes from your mothers side" he told her, "You sound just like your bloody sister"

"Yeah, well" Buffy shifted awkwardly in her seat, "I'm not her"

"I know that, pet" he assured her, "Never meant to imply... well, if you were Faith we wouldn't be sitting and _talking_ right now"

Buffy coloured at the very idea of what her sister would be doing in her situation, but the little tiny part of her that she called her wild streak was only too eager to do what Faith would, or at least ask if Spike would want her too. Still she was a good girl and didn't want to encourage any badness to occur so she kept her mouth shut on the subject.

"So, um, thanks for the ride home" she said, her hand going to the door ready to jump out of the car, "And the dating advice" she added somewhat sadly, thinking again of Parker and how he probably didn't like her like he pretended too.

"Yeah, well, can't have a sweet little thing like yourself falling victim to a sod like that, now can we?" Spike told her, noting her sad expression. He put his hand to her arm as she moved to get out the car, and she glanced back, their eyes meeting.

"You got plenty of time to find a better bloke than that scum, luv" he told her sincerely, "Don't fret over him too much, git's not worth it"

"I know" Buffy replied, her voice barely audible as her vocal chords seemed to seize up on her. Spike had the most intense blue eyes she'd ever seen and his hand on her arm felt as if it were burning her even through her clothes, "I have to go" she said in a whisper, pulling her arm free and getting out of the car.

Spike watched her walk all the way down the street, making sure she got safely to her house before he started up the engine again and turned the car around ready to head home. So, that was the much talked of Buffy Giles, he thought to himself as he made his way towards the apartment block where he lived. He didn't know why but he kind of hoped he'd see her again sometime, just to find out what happened with her and that soddin' Parker Abrams. She deserved better than him, he was sure, despite the fact he didn't know her very well at all.

_To Be Continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N : Hopefully everybody who is reading this will stick with this story, despite the fact the real Spuffy action might be a while coming...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 4

Buffy smiled to herself as she got into her bed and settled down to sleep. It had been an eventful night one way or another, but it had ended better than she expected. The way Faith had told it, Buffy had quite expected her mother to be in crazy yelling mode when she arrived home, and whilst Joyce had been pretty loud when the blonde girl re-entered the house it was tears of joy and relief that were shed as she hugged her baby tight and scolded her only a little for worrying her as she had.

"Mom, I only went to Faith's place" she'd defended her actions, "and I am almost seventeen y'know"

"Buffy, my dear, we know you're eager to grow up and be an adult" Giles had sympathised, "but we worry about you a great deal, we only wish to keep you safe"  
"And I am" Buffy smiled as she'd hugged her father next, "I promise, I would never put myself in danger"

It was really quite insane, the blonde realised as she thought about it. She put herself in apparent danger, according to her parents, and all they cared about was that she was safe. When Faith did things that were obviously dangerous she just got yelled at and punished. Buffy smiled to herself, it was kind of unfair, but she couldn't quite find it in her to feel really bad about the situation. She liked being Mom and Dad's favourite, and Faith seemed to kind of enjoy being the outcast trouble-maker, so it all worked out nicely.

Thoughts of her sister led Buffy to think of Spike. Mom and Dad would totally disapprove of Faith living with a guy like that, but they'd create a whole knew extreme form of freaking especially for her if Buffy were to bring home a boyfriend of that kind. All leather and bleached hair and Brit-punk attitude. As wrong as Buffy knew it was she did think he was pretty cool, and definitely sexy, but she'd never actually date a guy like him.

Parker was her type, or so she'd thought. He looked normal, cute even, and he was incredibly sweet. When he'd driven her home he'd made her feel special and important, especially since he was a Senior. Still, if what Spike and Faith said about the young Mr Abrams was true she should probably stay away from him.

Buffy yawned and glanced at the clock. It was way past eleven, gaining on midnight and whilst she felt as if she really should sleep her brain was not ready to relax. Thoughts of her sister, her sister's boyfriend, and the guy she thought might soon be her boyfriend swirled in her mind. She could date Parker if she wanted to, maybe his reputation was just rumours and he was actually a real nice guy. After all Spike probably had a reputation for badness too, and he seemed really sweet when he drove Buffy home tonight. Then there was Wes, the stereotypical geek who was in fact Spike's cousin and could apparently handle himself on a motorcycle. Appearances could be deceiving it seemed, and reputations could be faked. Life seemed to be getting decidedly grey lately, and not the simple black and white it had been when Buffy was younger.

All the complicated thoughts began to swirl together until sleep claimed the blonde, leaving only room for teenage dreams of hot celebrity guys sweeping her off her feet, and the school burning down so she didn't have to attend anymore.

* * *

"'Bout bloody time you rolled in" Spike said from the couch as Faith came crashing through the door, "Talk Illyria down off her pill bottle did you?" he checked, though in all honesty he didn't care much for Faith's friend with the blue streaked hair and superiority complex that only failed her everytime she got dumped, which was fairly regularly of late.

"Not funny, Spike" the brunette complained, putting her hand to her head as she flopped down next to him on the couch, "Man, that girl gives me a headache and then some. She needs a shrink or a serious kick in the ass" she explained, "Probably both"

"So find her a shrink that'll kick her ass, problem solved" Spike smirked and Faith playfully punched him in the shoulder as she laughed.

"Ain't you just the best comedian ever?" she said sarcastically, glancing at the TV to see what he'd been watching, "Geez Spike, for a badass you watch some lame shows" she said, dissing his beloved Passions re-runs and making Spike a little annoyed.

"Piss off, Lehane" he said a little nastily, "My apartment remember, watch what I bloody like in it"

"Ooh, cranky" Faith smiled, "Y'know it turns me on when you get mad" she said seductively into his ear, pressing her body up close to his.

Spike soon lost all interest in the TV as her hand travelled up his thigh and she started to kiss him. The soap opera was forgotten as their own passion took over and they moved to the bedroom, removing their clothing on the way.

* * *

"That's a damn unhappy face for a guy who just spent two hours doin' what we were doin'?" Faith mused as she lie next to Spike in their bed, "What's the matter, baby?"

"Nothin' much, luv" the bleached blond said absently, "I was just thinking about Buffy"

"Geez, Spike, way to make a woman feel good" Faith complained, "And you better not have been thinkin' about her when we were getting it on cos I swear to God, man, I will smack you down so hard, and not in a way you'd enjoy" she assured him.

This was not to be mistaken for a sex game, she meant what she said. If she thought for one second Spike had been thinking about her little sister in any kind of inappropriate ways she would rip his knee caps off in a second.

"Bloody hell, pet, what do you take me for!" Spike said, looking a little shocked that she'd even suggest such a thing, "Little bit's only sixteen, and I'm not into cradle robbing, you get me?" he told her firmly.

"Yeah, I know" Faith admitted with a sigh, "But if you weren't thinkin' that, what was on your mind?" she asked him.

"Just wondering if she was listening when we told her to steer clear of that bloody Abrams git" Spike explained, "I mean, she doesn't even know me, can't expect her to trust in my judgement, and at sixteen, well, teenagers don't exactly think with their heads at the best of times" he reminded her, knowing it had been all too true of him at least, "He might talk his way out of it, and she'll be victim number a hundred and whatever on his bleedin' list"

"Nah, B's smarter than that" Faith shook her head, "No way she'd go with a guy like him, or any guy for that matter. She's all into love and romantic fairytales and all that crap" she rolled her eyes and Spike looked over at her.

"None of that for you, eh pet?" he said, staring at her with his head tilted to one side.

"I'm older and wiser than she is" Faith reminded her lover, "I know the world don't work that way. What you and me got, it works right? And when it don't, we split, no strings" she shrugged as she shifted under the covers and settled down to sleep.

"Right" Spike said to himself, although he wasn't sure he absolutely agreed with what she said.

Of course he wasn't stupid enough to think he and Faith were going to end up married with two point four kids in a little rose covered home with a white picket fence. Like she said, life wasn't a fairytale and dreams of love, romance, and happiness rarely if ever came true. Best to get what you want and get out, that way no-one gets hurt. He knew that was Faith's philosophy and he'd adopted it as his own several years ago when he'd been burned himself. Before that he'd been very like Buffy, believing there was good in everyone and that happily ever afters were indeed possible.

Drusilla had changed his outlook so drastically. He'd been stunned when she returned his affections, and he'd had their whole lives together planned out by the time they'd had their third date. It was a few months later when he'd gone around to her apartment to surprise her with an engagement ring for her birthday. Though they were just seventeen years old, he'd believed they were forever. Drusilla, of course, had other ideas.

Spike, or William as he'd been then having yet to earn his reputation, had been panicked when he'd found the door to his girlfriends apartment left open. He refrained from calling her name as he went inside, wary that any attacker or burglar might still be present. He ventured into the living room and then through to the bedroom as he heard sounds from within. The sight that met his eyes burned itself into his retinas and to this day he still saw the scene in nightmares he never spoke of. His beloved Dru, the girl he'd planned to spend his life with, beneath her ex-boyfriend and seemingly having a wonderful time.

The worst part was she hadn't even tried to apologise. She thought it was perfectly reasonable and normal for her to be sleeping with both her current boyfriend and Angel, her ex. She convinced him it was normal, that nothing lasted forever and that what they'd had was great but if he couldn't handle her seeing other people too maybe it should be over.

William had gone off the rails terribly after that, and earned his nick name of Spike from some of the girls he'd used to make his reputation. He bleached his hair, retreated into black and leather clothing, and took up drinking and smoking to numb his pain.

Sometimes he thought he'd done pretty well, though none of his changes and attitude alterations were bothering Dru. He couldn't get back at her for hurting him, she didn't care enough to be bothered much by what he did or didn't do.

A long string of women had come to a brief halt when he met Faith. She was something else, he thought to himself as he lay awake in the dark and watched her sleep. She rarely looked as peaceful and angelic as she did right now, in fact he'd never seen her looking so... innocent, almost. It was the strangest thing but it was only now he saw the resemblance between Faith and Buffy. When the little blonde had introduced herself he could hardly believe what he was hearing, that she was his girlfriends half-sister. The similarity was more obvious now.

Perhaps Buffy was the more innocent version of Faith, perhaps once upon a time the older girl had been innocent too, though Spike had never been offered the full explanation of her turn for the worse and would never dream of asking unless she decided she wanted to share. Faith wasn't the sharing type so he doubted he'd ever know. They mostly stayed together for the sex and the fact they got along well enough as mates.

Spike's mind got stuck on thoughts of Buffy again and he wondered why. For the same reasons as he told Faith, he said to himself as he shifted down under the covers of the bed and closed his eyes to go to sleep. That bleedin' Parker Abrams was a slimeball that was for sure. Spike had his share of women, several mens' share of women if truth be told, but they always knew the deal with him. He slept with girls who knew the score, who were out to get the same thing he was, just fun and pleasure, no strings. He did not prey on innocent young things like Buffy Giles, pretend to be something he wasn't to seduce them and then break their hearts. That was a nastier version of what had happened to him and he would not let it happen to Faith's kid sister. He'd do whatever it took to see that didn't happen.

* * *

"Buffy" Parker called to her and she spun around to see him in the centre of the parking lot, breeze blowing through his hair, sun glinting off his perfectly white teeth, other girls all around turning green with envy as his eyes stayed fixed on her alone.

"Hey Parker" she called back dreamily as she watched him jump into his sports car and drive forward, pulling up beside her.

"Wanna ride?" he asked smoothly and the blonde barely had breath to answer.

"I... I'm not sure" she said, doubt in her mind after what her sister and Spike had said about the young Mr Abrams.

"Please, Buffy" Parker said, looking pained as he took hold of her hand in both of his, "I know I've done some bad things in my past, but... I'm so completely in love with you. I want to shower you with gifts, put you on a pedestal, marry you, and worship you forever"

"Oh Parker" Buffy sighed, hand over her heart as it hammered wildly in her chest.

"Please, Buffy" he continued to beg, "Let me drive you home. Let us begin a journey together that will never end"

"Okay" the blonde agreed, running around the back of the car and climbing in beside the man that adored her. They were both grinning as he started the engine and drove away into the sunset, rising music adding to the romantic mood...

"Good Morning, Sunnydale! It's 7 am, and this is Radio SunnyD, bringing you the best music to brighten up your morning..."

The crackling voice of the radio host woke Buffy with a start from her beautiful dream and she groaned as she turned over and attempted to hide her face beneath her pillow.

"Buffy! I hope you're getting out of bed!" Joyce called up the stairs, "Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes!"

Buffy sighed, pulling herself out to bed and stopping suddenly as her dream came back to her in glorious technicolor. She smiled in spite of herself. Parker was so charming and sweet, and not just in her dream either. Yesterday she'd felt so special when he brought her home in his car and kissed her hand like a gentleman.

Maybe what Faith and Spike had told her about him was wrong. It wasn't as if her sister and her latest freak of a boyfriend were world-renowned truth tellers, and even if Parker had done bad things in the past, he could be sorry. He might genuinely like Buffy, and she didn't want to throw that chance away over a few rumours that might not even be one hundred percent true.

By the time she was washed and dressed and heading down to breakfast she'd quite decided she would do as she pleased where Parker was concerned, she had no real reason not to be nice to him if he was nice to her. She was sure it would all end well.

_To Be Continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N : Glad some of you are determined to stick with this til the Spuffy happens, even if it will takea while. I appreciate your trust in me to make it all work out right in the end.  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 5

"Hey Will" Buffy smiled as she met her best friend in the busy halls of Sunnydale High on Monday morning, "How was your weekend?"

"Pretty good" Willow nodded, "I was on the 'Net a lot, just surfin' around and... stuff"

"Stuff?" Buffy narrowed her eyes at the way the red-head had said the word and immediately hidden her face in her locker, "What kind of stuff?" she checked and Willow was blushing the colour of her hair when she emerged and looked at her friend.

"I might've been talking to a guy" she admitted, "Buffy, he's just amazing, we were talking for hours about everything!" the red-head enthused. Her friend didn't look altogether impressed.

"That's nice, Will, but... well, I don't wanna burst any bubbles but you don't know this guy, he could be anybody" she pointed out, "I mean, he could be old or gross or both!"

"He's not" Willow frowned, shaking her head, "Buffy, I know there are strange people on the Internet, bad people that do... badness, but Bikin' Boy just isn't like that"

"Bikin' Boy?" Buffy smiled at that, "That's an interesting name"

"Well, we didn't swap _real_ names yet" Willow admitted, "See, proof of my carefulness!"

Buffy rolled her eyes as the bell rang and the pair walked towards their first class, Xander joining them along the way.

"Hey, how are my two favourite girls?" he asked with a smile that they both returned.

"Of the good" Buffy told him as both she and her red-headed friend continued to grin.

"Okay, you two are way too happy for a Monday morning, what gives?" Xander checked, as they went into the classroom and took their seats, Willow and Buffy next to each other and Xand right behind them.

"You wouldn't understand" Willow told him with a shake of her head, "It's girl stuff"

"Girl stuff means boys, right?" Xander checked, not looking overly impressed.

"You're not wrong" Buffy sighed as she caught a glimpse of her favourite Senior, Parker Abrams, passing by the door.

"So, you're pretty much serious about Parker, huh?" Willow giggled at the sight of her friends dreamy smile.

"Kinda" Buffy admitted, eyes flitting down to her desk then up again, almost shyly, "He's just so... oh, I don't know, he just seems so perfect"

"No guy is perfect, Buff" Xander told her, "Many have reputations for badness that turn out to be true"

"Oh please" the blonde rolled her eyes, "You sound like Faith and Spike"

"Spike?" Willow made a face as she echoed the name that was foreign to her.

"My sisters latest 'boyfriend'" she air-quoted, knowing that pretty much all of Faith's relationships with guys were based on sex and little else, "I went over to their apartment to talk, after my Mom went postal about Parker driving me home Friday night"  
"So what happened?" Willow prompted and Buffy sighed.

"Spike said he knew Parker had a reputation for using girls, Faith agreed with him" she admitted as Xander's expression grew worried and Willow's did the same, "And I know what you're thinking but Parker just isn't like that! You know people get reputations for stuff they don't actually do, and he's so sweet"  
"Buffy, y'know maybe... and I can't believe I'm actually saying this" Willow frowned, "but maybe you should take Faiths advice on this one" she said gently, "I mean, she knows guys, bad guys, and if Parker is like a player or whatever..."

"He is not" Buffy protested, "Willow, you know I wouldn't put myself in danger, I just know he's not really like that" she said, partly convincing herself as well as her friends who looked at her like they thought she was a fool.

"We just worry, Buff" Xander told her, "That's all"

"I know" the blonde felt bad for getting angry and raising her voice as Willow looked away sadly, "Really guys, I appreciate that you worry, I love you for it, but I'm not going to take dating advice from my slutty sister and her freakish bleached boyfriend" she explained as the teacher came into the room and called the class to order.

* * *

"So are we Bronze bound tonight?" Xander asked his friends at lunch as they walked outside in the sunshine.

"I don't know" Willow said thoughtfully, "I thought I was supposed to be helping you with your algebra homework?" she checked, just as Parker called out to Buffy.

"Okay, scenario" the blonde grinned as she whispered to her friends, "You guys go do the homework thing in the library, we'll go Bronzing tonight, and I promise not to have a boring lunch-break without you"

"Are you sure Buff?" Xander frowned as Parker came strolling over.

"Positive" his friend replied with a warning look that told him to scram and fast. Although Willow didn't like it any more than Xander she respected her friends choice to spend time with Parker and dragged Xand away from the scene towards the library. Still the boy couldn't keep his eyes off the pair, walking backwards until he tripped up on an unseen rock and went sprawling to the ground. Buffy hadn't a clue all this was going on behind her as Parker finally caught up to her and smiled.

"Hey, Buffy, how are you?" he asked as she blushed under his gaze and the two walked over to a bench together and sat down.

"I'm good" she nodded, "Better, for seeing you" she admitted, feeling ridiculously giddy. Although she got quite a bit of male attention from the guys in her own grade, Parker was older and handsome and charming and... Buffy was feeling a little overwhelmed to think that the guy most girls in school were in love with was actually choosing to talk to her.

"So I was thinking" Parker said, looking a little shy himself which Buffy considered to be insane. Why should the great Parker Abrams be so bashful around her? But she had to admit it was very cute and endearing that he was, "Did you have plans for tonight?"

"Plans?" Buffy squeaked, clearing her throat so she could speak properly, "No, not real plans, just, well, maybe little plans" she admitted, "But I can change plans if you have better plans, and oh my God how many times have I said the word plans?" she said awkwardly, hating how stupid and ditzy she must sound as she put a hand to her face to hide her embarrassment.

"It's okay" Parker assured her, reaching out to move her hand away, "You look pretty in pink" he told her with a smile that only made Buffy's blushing issues twice as bad. The fact that Parker now had a hold of her hand was doing nothing good for her heart rate either which sped up tremendously.

"My plans for tonight only work if you're in them" he told her, looking at her in such a way that Buffy was sure she'd be a puddle on the floor in a few seconds time, "I was thinking we could hang out, talk a little, get to know each other better"

"That sounds good" the blonde said, swallowing hard, "Better than good, great" she amended with a smile.

"Okay" Parker nodded, a little amused by the effect he was having on this girl, "So, the Bronze? Say seven?" he suggested.

"Bronze is good, seven is perfect" Buffy agreed as Parker smiled, raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"I'll see you then" he said as he got up, "Unless y'know, you wanted another ride home after school?" he checked. Buffy swore she was going to pass out any second, she'd just simply forgotten how to breathe.

"Yeah, great, thank you" she managed to say and Parker nodded as he walked away, sending a little wave her way as he went. Buffy waved back, eyes transfixed on his back until he disappeared into the building completely out of sight.

* * *

Buffy had not stopped smiling all afternoon and whilst Willow and Xander were glad to see her so happy, they were worried about her too. She was making such a big deal about this Parker Abrams guy and whilst he seemed on the surface to be a nice guy, they worried that he wasn't, especially after what Faith and her boyfriend had apparently said about him.

Still, Buffy was their best friend and the last thing they wanted to do was upset her by telling her that perhaps she was being an idiot. They just gently reminded her to be careful, as with all boys, and she reiterated her concerns about Willow's Internet friend just as the final bell rang and she ran off to get her ride home with Parker.

"Just you and me then, huh Will?" Xander sighed, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Is that so bad?" she said, looking a little bit sad until he shook his head and smiled, kissing the top of her head.

"No way" he told her as they started to walk home, unaware of the scene that was about to take place on the edge of the parking lot.

Parker was leaning on the side of his convertible, waiting for Buffy when she arrived. They said 'hi' to each other and he ran around the car to open the passenger door for her but never quite got there as a screech of tyres caught both their attention.

"What the hell...?" Buffy muttered to herself as she spotted the black DeSoto flying towards her before it pulled up sharply to one side and the window was wound down.

"Spike?" she said, wide-eyed and clearly stunned to see him, but then one didn't exactly expect to find their step-sister's Brit-punk boyfriend that they hardly knew in the school parking lot after school.

"Hello, luv" he smiled around a cigarette, "I, er, came to give you a ride" he said a little awkwardly. It was clear she was not entirely happy to see him, she'd made plans with that soddin' git Parker, that much was obvious, despite his telling her to keep away.

"Well, thanks" Buffy replied, frowning as she could not understand why Spike would be offering her a ride home, "But I already have a ride"

"Who is this jerk?" Parker asked her and Buffy shook her head, telling him not to ask right now. The last thing she needed was her possible new boyfriend upsetting her sisters boyfriend and the two of them having some kind of fight. That would be a disaster, since she was pretty certain Spike could pummel Parker into the pavement and would probably take great delight in doing so given his opinion of the younger man.

"Yeah, but, I was gonna take you back to mine" Spike told the young blonde as he got out of the car, throwing his cigarette to the ground and putting it out with the heel of his boot, "To see your sister, she needs a word" he lied.

Though Faith was at the apartment she had made no such request to see Buffy, she didn't even know he was here, and Buffy knew it. There was no way Faith would be sending her boyfriend to pick her up from school for any reason, and the nasty looks Spike was casting Parker's way soon clued her in to why he was really there, making a scene.

"Excuse me, Parker, I'll be right back" she assured him as she stalked over to the bleached blond, grabbed his sleeve and pulled him aside where no-one would hear what they were saying.

"What the hell are you doing!" she asked angrily through gritted teeth, "Are you trying to make me look like an idiot?"

"Doin' that all by yourself, pet, hangin' around with scum like him" Spike told her with a slight gesture to Parker, "Told you what he was like, luv, are you deaf or something?"

"I don't care what you think about Parker or about me" Buffy told him angrily, "I don't actually care much about what Faith thinks either, cos God knows she doesn't care what I think about her choice of boyfriend, or she'd never be dating a freak like you"

She made to walk away then, but Spike grabbed her arm and spun her back round to face him.

"You stupid bint, don't you bloody listen!" he snapped as Buffy tore her wrist from his grasp and glared at him, "He's trouble, he'll hurt you, why can't you see that!"

"Why do you care!" Buffy snapped back, "This is my life, and I barely know you, why the hell would I take your advice!" she yelled, dropping her voice a couple of decibels as she caught the attention of some passers by, "Just leave me alone" she said more calmly, stalking back to Parker and asking him to take her home right now. He agreed, opening the passenger door for her and then running around it hop into the drivers seat. He put the car in gear and drove away at speed, leaving Spike standing alone.

"Bollocks!" he cursed, fist flying into the nearest lamp-post, something he immediately regretted as his knuckles throbbed, "Stupid, soddin' bitch" he muttered as he got back into his car and slammed the door shut behind him. How anyone could be so bleedin' ignorant and pig-headed he had no idea, but what bothered him almost more than that was Buffy's final question to him.

'Why do you care!' she'd yelled at him, looking so magnificently angry. He had no answer to that question really. Sure, he could rationalise he worried about her for Faith's sake but when the girl herself knew Parker's reputation as well as him and had done nothing to stop a relationship developing between the boy and her sister, why was it that Spike was so concerned?

"Bloody not anymore" he said to himself as he put the car in gear and drove away.

_To Be Continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N : I know, I know, I haven't updated in too long. I am trying to make my updates faster but four fics at once it's becoming kind of a nightmare! Hopefully you'll all just bear with me whilst I get back in the rhythm of writing and updating again.  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 6

Spike was in a foul mood when he returned to the apartment to find Faith waiting for him. After the incident with Buffy at the school, he'd been so angry both at her for not listening to him and at himself for caring. He didn't know this girl, she was just some silly little chit who had the same mother as his flat-mate.

He refused to use the word girlfriend where Faith was concerned, he hadn't used the term for any woman he'd dated in years. It was too juvenile a term for the relationship they had. Boyfriends and girlfriends were what school kids had, Faith was just... Faith. She was a friend in some respects, and his lover when he fancied her to be, but ultimately little more than some woman he shagged and could just about stand to have around the place on a regular basis. If Faith had no better function in his life than this, why was he so bloody bothered by what Buffy bleedin' Giles got up to, that's what Spike wanted to know.

After a couple of hours of driving around Sunnydale, punk classics blaring from the stereo the whole time, and a packet of cigarettes chain-smoked and duly thrown out of the window, Spike headed back to the apartment where he lived.

Faith was lounging on the couch as usual, a glass of something alcoholic in her hand and an empty bag of chips on the coffee table.

"Looks like you've had a right taxing day then" he said almost nastily as he slammed the front door shut behind himself.

"What's up with you?" Faith asked with a raised eyebrow, "The boy piss you off again?" she asked, referring to the boss' son at the garage where Spike earned his cash.

Riley Finn really thought he was something special and tried to exert authority over the guys that worked for his father, despite the fact he was at least two years younger than Spike and far younger than the rest of the employees. He took great delight in pointing out the fact that Spike was stuck in a more-or-less dead end job, whilst he was at college, getting all qualified for a high up job in the business world.

"Nah, Finn was too busy studyin' to put in an appearance" Spike told his lover as he took off his coat and flopped down on the couch next to her and she put her legs across his lap, not willing to stick to just one side of the furniture, "Sides I knocked off early, had things to do" he told her, about to fill her in on what happened with Buffy before deciding against it. If she asked why he was so bothered about her half-sister's love life, Spike didn't have an answer, and it wouldn't do for the girl to think he cared too much about her and her family. He wasn't in this relationship for commitment at all, and he suspected she wasn't either. No need to rock the boat with this particular over-share.

To her credit, Faith never asked what kind of things Spike might have had to do. She didn't tell him all her business and didn't expect him to tell her every detail of his life either. This wasn't a marriage, just an arrangement that worked for them both. Love really didn't enter into it, though she did care about Spike to a certain extent and knew he had some kind of feelings towards her, they were mostly just friends who got down and dirty together when the mood took them and judging by the way his hand was moving further up her leg, Faith suspected Spike was getting in the mood right now.

It wasn't long before the boring and ridiculous talk show on the TV screen was abandoned in favour of more exciting activities. Spike had Faith pinned to the couch and she didn't mind at all as they both gained pleasure through passionate kissing and touching. They were, as Faith would say 'half way to happyland' when her cell phone rang on the table and she wriggled one arm free to reach for it. She was gasping and giggling from the way Spike was attacking her body so pleasantly as she managed to answer the call and work out who was on the other end of the line.

"What? Illyria slow down" she said, focusing her brain on the phone call as she pushed Spike firmly away with her other hand and he practically fell off the couch, landing on the floor with a thud. He was a little stunned by the sudden halt in their activities and not at all happy about it either as he scrambled to his feet and glared at Faith who was now also up and walking around the room, phone tucked under her chin as she straightened her shirt and re-fastened her bra, all the while talking to the person on the other end of the line who Spike had now identified as Illyria.

"What the soddin' hell does the bitch want now?" he muttered to himself as he zipped up his pants and tried to flatten his hair out.

"Woah, woah, woah, just breathe, okay?" Faith said into the phone, "I'll be there as soon as" she assured her friend before hanging up and going straight for her abandoned boots.

"Tell me you're not bloody going to see that silly bint again!" Spike said angrily, "Bitch's got you on a piece of soddin' elastic of late"

"Spike, take a chill pill, okay?" Faith rolled her eyes as she fastened her boots and pulled on her jacket, "She's been there for me, helped me out of a jam more than one time, and now she needs a helpin' hand"

She moved towards the door but Spike stepped in the way, pulling her body close to his and kissing her with a passion. Faith responded at first but pulled away a moment later, telling him she had to go, he didn't even get a chance to protest as she disappeared from sight, the front door clanging shut behind her.

"Today is not my bloody day!" he said angrily, before grabbing up his coat and following Faith out of the door. She didn't have time for him, that was fine, he'd go to the Bronze and find someone who did, or alternatively he might just get completely drunk out of his tree, whatever took his fancy when he got there would be fine.

* * *

"You look very nice, honey" Joyce smiled from her position on the couch with her husband, as Buffy came bounding down the stairs all ready to go to the Bronze.

"Indeed you do, my dear" Giles agreed, "Is it a special occasion that you're going out for?" he checked.

"No, not really" Buffy half-lied, "Just going Bronzing with my friends" she told them, knowing it was technically not the case. Yes, she had agreed to see Willow and Xander, but mostly her plans for tonight included Parker. The problem was, if she mentioned him right now her parents would go apoplectic and never let her go out ever again.

"Well, have a nice time, sweetie" Joyce told her, "but back by eleven, okay?"

"Absolutely" Buffy nodded in agreement, like the perfect little daughter she was, or so her parents thought.

The blonde felt a little strange as she let herself out of the house into the cool night air. She'd just lied to her Mum and Dad, something she really didn't make a habit of doing. She never really felt the need to lie, she was so easily forgiven for so many things, and allowed to have anything and everything she asked for most of the time. It was Faith who had always been punished and told no.

Buffy's feelings of strangeness and guilt did not last for long as she neared the Bronze and the butterflies in her stomach went completely crazy. As she went into the club, her eyes scanned the room for her sort-of-date. So far it seemed he was nowhere to be seen and with a sigh she decided she may as well go sit with Willow and Xander whilst she waited.

"Hey guys" she said, not looking very happy.

"And we're real pleased to see you too, Buff" Xander teased as she sat down on one of the stools at the table.

"I'm sorry" she managed a smile as she replied, "but Parker said he'd see me here at seven, and I did the fashionably five minutes late thing and he's not even here yet"

"Maybe his car broke down" Willow suggested, "Or he's helping his mother with something"

"Or maybe he's a low-down cheating sleazebag that you should have nothing more to do with" said an English accented voice from behind Buffy. She jumped slightly and turned to find Spike behind her with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"You, again?" she said frustratedly, "Stalker, much? You're everywhere I turn!" she complained.

"Newsflash, pet" he smirked, "I was here before you were, doesn't exactly go along with your theory that I'm followin' you around now does it?"

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that he's Spike" Xander whispered to Willow who nodded dumbly. This guy really was kinda scary and she wished Buffy wouldn't be so rude to him. He looked all unpredictable and maybe violent.

"Just leave me alone, okay?" Buffy said, turning around on her stool once again and putting her back towards Spike.

"Whatever, luv" he shook his head as he turned to walk away, "You were warned. 'S your bloody funeral"

"Okay, is anybody else completely wigged by that guy?" Willow asked shakily when she was certain Spike was out of earshot.

"He doesn't look so tough" Xander said, trying to sound nonchalant and not wince as some guy shoved Spike and the bleached blond hit him back so hard he travelled half way across the dancefloor on his ass.

"And to think he's Wesley's cousin" Buffy sighed as Willow's eyes went comically wide.

"That's Wesley's cousin!" she checked, apparently stunned by the revelation, but then it was quite difficult to see any similarities other than the English accent between Wes and Spike.

Buffy was about to elaborate when a hand landed on her shoulder and she swung around quite ready to punch Spike in the face. She got a surprise when it was Parker behind her.

"Hey" he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender, "I know I'm late but, please don't hurt me" he joked, causing Buffy's face to turn red.

"Oh, I'm sorry" she said awkwardly, "I thought you were... it doesn't matter" she decided, "Really don't wanna talk about it"

"Well, that's good" Parker nodded, "That you don't feel like talking, I mean, since I was about to tell you that you look beautiful and then ask you to dance"

"Thank you" Buffy blushed a deeper shade as she answered, "and yes, I'd love to dance" she accepted, taking the hand he offered and flowing him out onto the crowded floor.

Back at the table, Willow's mouth was still wide open with shock.

"Will, honey, you're gonna catch flies if you don't close your mouth soon" Xander pointed out to her and with a shake of her head to bring herself out of the daze she'd found herself in, Willow finally did so.

"That's just, I mean it's crazy" she stammered, "Wes and Spike, related?"

"Yeah, but not so crazy" Xander considered, "Look at the Buffster and her slut-bomb half-sister. They share a parent, that's like half their DNA and everything, but Buffy isn't like Faith, not in any way at all"

* * *

It was a couple of hours since Buffy had first arrived at the Bronze. Most of her time had been spent on the dancefloor with Parker, and three different people had been watching the couple the whole time, though the blonde had no idea.

Xander watched with a slight greenness in his eyes, jealousy because his friend had somebody and he didn't and on some level because he kind of wished he could get Buffy to dance all up close and sexy with him like that.

Willow watched with worried eyes, not liking to see her friend behave the way she was. She was getting very up close and personal with Parker and was way too giggly. To be honest she was starting to wonder if the girl was altogether well.

Spike watched out of the corner of his eye, wishing he didn't feel the need to. He hadn't come to the club to see if the pair of kids showed up, he'd decided to give up on trying to give Faith's sister friendly advice when she got so bratty and obnoxious in the High School parking lot. Still, he hated to know that sleazeball Parker was about to claim another victim, whoever she was, especially when he should be able to help out. He considered going over there, pulling the slimy bugger off Buffy and knocking him into next week, but after the way she behaved when he tried to help her before, he figured there was little or no point.

"Bugger it" he muttered to himself, before ordering another bourbon. He'd started out with beer but as the night went on he got more and more frustrated and angry over first Faith and then Buffy he'd needed something stronger to drink. Unfortunately he'd been getting drunk for years enough his constitution did not allow him to get pissed out his tree quite as fast as he'd like.

He was just considering finding a woman who could take his mind off things, when he noticed Parker whisper something in Buffy's ear and lead her off the dancefloor. It may have been Spike's imagination playing tricks but she didn't seem entirely eager to go at first, and then suddenly nodded and followed him out of sight.

Spike frowned as he got off his stool onto remarkably steady feet. He moved around the edge of the dancefloor, hoping to catch a glimpse of Buffy and/or Parker again and see where they were going. He saw the back of the blonde's head disappear out the door and he considered his actions a moment before following.

* * *

"Er, Will? Your robot bird is hungry" Xander told her as a strange sound emanated from her bag. The red-head giggled at his comment as she pulled out her cellphone, realising she had a text message on it.

"Ooh, it's from Bikin' Boy" she enthused, "Aaw, he misses me" she said with a happy sigh, but Xander frowned.

"You gave this guy your number!" he almost exploded, "Will, do you know how dangerous that is!"

"Xander it's fine, really" she assured him, "I'm being careful. See, he doesn't even know my name yet" she explained, showing him the message that began 'My Dearest NetGirl'.

"I still don't like it" Xander shook his head, as he handed the phone back to her, "These guys online can be just as dangerous as they ones in reality, worse even!" he told her as Spike passed their table without them even noticing. Right now the bleached blond wished Parker wasn't so dangerous in reality, he also wished he wasn't such an idiot that he was creeping around a club half cut trying to save his current lover's half-sister from being used by a stupid bugger who needed knocking upside his head, but if wishes were horses...

Spike got to the door of the club and kept to the shadows as he went outside, watching Buffy and Parker as they stood by his car. The bleached blond marvelled at the irony that now he was very much acting like the stalker Buffy had accused him of being just hours before, as he listened to what they were saying.

"I don't know, Parker" Buffy said awkwardly, "I mean, we could talk just as easily in the club as we could in the car"

"It's a little loud in there" he pointed out, "And besides, I kind of wanted us to be alone. I really like you Buffy" he said, looking all shy and pathetic and stupidly cute. Spike really wanted to heave as the git leaned in close to Buffy and placed his lips on hers.

"Son of a bitch" he muttered beneath his breath, though there was nothing he could do to stop this. Buffy wasn't screaming and pushing the bastard off, in fact she was kissing him back with gusto by now. If he intervened she'd go mental and probably go further with Parker than she would've if he'd've left well alone.

Spike was about to call it quits, and was just trying to decide whether to go back into the Bronze for another drink or head home to bed when he noticed something was wrong.

"Parker, I don't think I want... Can you please not" she said, pushing his hand away that had found it's way under her skirt.

"Hey, I thought this was what you wanted" he said, looking genuinely confused, though Spike was pretty certain it was all an act, "I thought you liked me"

"I do" Buffy assured the man she'd adored for so long from afar.

"Then what's the problem?" he asked with a shrug, before leaning into her again, pinning her against the side of the car as he kissed her hard, his hands sliding over her body once again. Buffy struggled somewhat to get away and was just about to try to pull a 'Miss Congeniality' on Parker, when Spike made his presence known.

"Oi, Abrams!" he yelled as he came out of the shadows, looking less than calm, "Lady told you to stop" he said angrily as he approached the pair. Parker backed off a little from Buffy and glanced at Spike.

"Exactly what is your problem?" he asked, like he didn't know.

"Er, how can I put this in a way you'll understand?" Spike said thoughtfully, before suddenly swinging out with his fist and smacking Parker around the face so hard he fell to the ground with a thump, not unconscious but bleeding from the nose and more than a little dizzy.

"Oh my God" Buffy gasped, partly from the sight of Parker's bloody nose, partly because Spike had effectively saved her, and also partly because she realised everybody had been right to warn her about Parker. Tears were streaming down her face by now as she turned and ran.

Spike called her name but she didn't stop. Giving Parker one last swift kick in the ribs and telling him to stay down if he knew what was good for him he went after Buffy and grabbed her arm when he caught up to her.

"Get off me!" she said, trying to pull free but he had too tight a grip for her to escape.

"You can't run of into the night in this state, pet" he told her "Anything could happen to you" he reminded her and she stopped trying to get away then "Some nasty pieces of work out there, really go for a Little Red Riding Hood like you"

"I'm not a kid" she said, trying to sound angry, but mostly just overwhelmed by tears.

"I know that, luv" Spike said gently, "but you had a nasty experience and... you want me to take you back inside to your mates?" he suggested, not really knowing what to do with the sobbing bint now. He was alright with the saving and the gratitude he got from some women, but the tears and tantrums of a young girl like this, well, that he wasn't used to dealing with.

"No" Buffy shook her head, "I can't face them... God, I was such an idiot" she cried and it was Spike's turn to shake his head.

"Maybe a little bit, pet, but 's all part of growin' up" he assured her, remembering what a pratt he'd felt after what Dru had done to him.

"Would you..." Buffy sniffed and started over, "Spike, would you walk me home, please?" she asked, all red-rimmed eyes and looking so young and lost, how could he ever refuse her?

"Sure" he smiled, as they set off together, looking like a most unlikely pairing to anyone who saw them.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	7. Chapter 7

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 7

Buffy wasn't feeling too great as she walked towards Revello Drive with Spike beside her. She'd been such an idiot about Parker Abrams and was thoroughly ashamed of herself for not listening to the advice given to her by Faith, Spike, her mother, even her friends. She didn't usually go against people like that, but Parker had seemed so nice, she just couldn't believe he was this awful person that they all said he was. He'd never been anything but nice and charming, now she knew why.

"God, I'm so stupid" she said suddenly, like the thought had suddenly hit her so strongly she felt the need to voice it. Spike was a little startled, only because silence had reigned for the past few minutes and she'd spoken quite loudly and without warning.

"Why didn't I listen when you and Faith told me what a bad guy he was?" she said, not looking at Spike, even though she was talking to him, because she'd rather him not see the tears in her eyes if she could help it.

"'S just one of those things, luv" Spike told her kindly, "Alright so maybe you were a bit blind, stupid even if you wanna look at it that way but we all want to see the good in people when we're young. You'll learn when you get older there aren't many who won't hurt you in the end" he said bitterly, kicking a small rock across the street and shoving his hands deeper into his pockets.

"Why do you do that?" Buffy frowned, glancing up at him, "You always say stuff like 'when you're older', and 'when you grow up'" she said accusingly, "I told you before, I'm sixteen, not six"

"Y'know for all the difference between you and your sister" Spike smirked, "You're got her bloody stubbornness, and her bleedin' temper buried in there too I shouldn't wonder"

Buffy wasn't sure whether to laugh or be angry at that particular attempt, but managed half a smile as they continued walking.

"I guess I should be grateful you were hanging around the Bronze tonight" Buffy sighed, keeping her eyes straight ahead as she felt a little embarrassed about this, "If you hadn't been there I... I'd like to think I could've gotten away but Parker was... I don't know what he might've done" she said, finding herself getting tearful all over again.

"Well, let's just count ourselves lucky I was there then, eh pet?" he said, as they came to a halt at the top of the road and faced each other under the light of the street lamp on the corner, "And maybe next time when you get told a bloke's not trustworthy, bloody well listen, yeah?"

"I will" Buffy promised him with a nod of her head as she wiped the tears from her face and gave him a shaky smile, "Thank you, for the saveage and for walking with me and everything but..."

"But if your mother sees you walking home with a bugger like me, you'll be grounded for eternity, right?" he guessed, not really caring what the girl's parents thought of him, in fact he found it quite amusing that they cared so little for Faith they didn't even know she was living with him, whilst Buffy would be sentenced to a fate worse than death just for being seen walking with a fella like him.

"I wasn't going to say it exactly like that but kind of, yeah" Buffy agreed awkwardly, "I'm sorry"

"'S not your fault that your folks worry about you" he shrugged, "Somebody's got to it seems"

"I didn't just mean sorry for that" Buffy said with a shake of her head, "I mean, I am sorry for that too but I said some awful things to you and I didn't believe you..."

"Why should you have believed me really, pet?" Spike asked her, head tilting to one side as he looked down at her, "Don't know me from soddin' Adam, I could've been tellin' you anything. As to the name calling, trust me luv I've had a damn sight worse and from far more frightening people than you" he told her with a smirk.

Buffy smiled a genuine smile back at him. Though the ordeal she'd gone through tonight had been bad, she was much calmer now, even enjoying herself as she stood talking to Spike under the streetlight. He really was gorgeous, she'd noticed that the first time she'd seen him, all dripping wet from the shower, wearing only a towel.

"Er, luv?" he tried to get her attention back when her eyes seemed to glaze over. Buffy went red as he stared at her and she realised how horrendous it would be if Spike could read minds, the thoughts she was just having were really not something she'd want to share, especially with the man at the centre of her imaginations little trip to the dirty side of the tracks.

"I should get home" she said suddenly, "And whether you care or not, I'm still sorry" she said honestly.

"Apology accepted, if it makes you feel any better, sweetheart" he told her, "Now get along with you, get home. Pretty little thing like you ought to be tucked up in her bed by now"

Buffy rolled her eyes at how child-like he made her sound with that sentence, before offering a small wave and hurrying down Revello Drive to her house.

Spike watched her go, all the way down the road and in through her gate before he turned to begin the walk back to his own place. He lit a cigarette on the way and a range of emotions played across his face as he flashed back through the evenings events in his mind.

Bloody Faith and her bloody friend Illyria. Stupid bleedin' Parker Abrams putting his grubby hands all over Buffy, even when she told him not to. Then the little blonde, all sorry for herself as he walked her home, it'd been worth all the other crap to see her smile in the end. She was a pretty little thing, not much like Faith, though she had the same fire in her eyes when she got angry.

Spike was pretty certain Buffy had learnt her lesson tonight and would not be so quick to judge people, either in the positive or the negative, after her dealings with Abrams and he himself too. Chances were he'd never know what happened to her next, he'd probably never clap eyes on her again, or if he did, they'd share pleasantries and that'd be all. He never wanted a little sister, he certainly wasn't about to adopt the kid that Faith barely recognised as the half-sibling she was.

Spike sighed as he crushed his spent cigarette beneath his boot and glanced up at the window of his own apartment, half way up the side of the block. He doubted Faith would be home yet. If Illyria was having another of her fits of depression and/or rage it could take hours to get her calm and on an even keel emotionally. Until then, Spike had the apartment and the bed to himself. Surprisingly, right now, that was quite appealing.

* * *

Buffy sighed as she closed her bedroom door behind her and tossed her purse onto her bed. Thankfully her parents had accepted it when she'd told them she'd come home early because she wasn't feeling well, another semi-lie since she technically wasn't ill, but she had been through an experience that had badly shaken her. If she'd told her Mom and Dad the truth, the consequences really didn't bear thinking if. They'd probably ground her for lying, and even if she could get them to let her off punishment due to her ordeal, they'd want to press charges against Parker for indecency of some sort and the truth was Buffy just wanted to forget tonight ever happened, the part with Parker at least.

There were later parts of the evening that Buffy had quite enjoyed and she smiled to herself as she flopped backwards onto her bed and saw Spike in her mind's eye. He really was quite the hottie, in a bad boy kind of a way, but what heterosexual female on the planet wasn't at least a little attracted by black-clad mysterious gorgeous young men supposedly from the wrong side of the tracks?

Spike was pretty much Buffy's hero after the way he'd saved her tonight. She shuddered involuntarily at thoughts of how far Parker might've gone if Spike hadn't stepped in, and then comforted herself with more pleasant thoughts of the rescue and subsequent moonlit stroll home.

Despite the fact he looked quite severe with his uniform black clothing, long leather duster, bleached blond hair, and that scar through his eyebrow, Spike really was quite sweet, Buffy noted. It wasn't just any guy who would save his girlfriends half-sister from her perverted date, or agree to walk her home.

The thoughts that pleased Buffy most of all were remembering the words Spike had said to her before she left him at the top of the road, under the streetlight that made his blue eyes shine even brighter than they really were. He'd called her sweetheart, and a pretty little thing too, which in some ways she found a little patronising and in another so perfect. He smiled at her when he said it, a genuine and sexy kind of smile that made Buffy's heart speed up somewhat unexpectantly.

The young blonde had spent so many hours dreaming of Parker and he'd turned out to be a nightmare in reality. It seemed that the man she'd been telling to leave her alone for the past couple of days, had now became the person she wanted to be closest too. She hoped to see Spike again, and very soon. Maybe he wasn't such a freak after all, but a mysterious, gorgeous, hero man of her dreams.

* * *

"Buffy" Spike called to her and she spun around to see him in the centre of the parking lot, breeze blowing his coat out behind him, sun glinting off his overly blonde hair, other girls all around turning green with envy as his eyes stayed fixed on her alone.

"Hey Spike" she called back dreamily as she watched him jump into his black car and drive forward, pulling up beside her.

"Want a ride, pet?" he asked smoothly and the blonde barely had breath to answer.

"I... I'm not sure" she said, doubt in her mind given that this was supposed to be her sisters boyfriend after all.

"Come on, luv" Spike said, with that sexy smirk of his, "You know you want to"

Buffy grinned, knowing he was right as she ran around the other side of the car and hopped in beside him

"Where to, sweetheart?" her dream man asked as he put the car in gear.

"Anywhere with you" Buffy smiled, heart hammering in her chest as Spike smiled back before leaning in closer and...

"Wake up, Sunnydale! It's another bright and sunny morning, and this is Radio SunnyD, bringing you the latest and greatest tracks to kick-start your day..."

The overly cheerful voice of the radio host tore Buffy unwillingly from her dream and she cursed under her breath as she hit her pillow in frustration.

"Just five more minutes" she said aloud, and with more volume than she'd thought obviously as her mother heard her from beyond the door and informed her 'five more minutes' was not an option, she needed to be getting out of bed right now.

"Okay, Mom" she called back, smiling as she remembered the rest of her dream. Where Parker had once been, Spike now took his place and did a much better of job of being her perfect boyfriend, or so Buffy thought. It was never going to happen of course, not in a real life, but a girl could always dream.

_To Be Continued..._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N : Apologies for short chapters, I hope the fact I update regularly (once a week) makes up for it!  
**_**(For disclaimer,etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 8

"Buffy!" Willow came sprinting across the quad with Xander right behind her as soon as they saw their friend arrive at school, "Oh my God, are you okay?"

"I'm fine" the blonde assured them, "I'm so sorry, I should've told you when I went home last night, I just... it was complicated" she explained, looking away. Thinking of Parker and what had happened was far from her favourite thing to do.

"What happened, Buff?" Xander asked as he and Willow walked either side of the blonde and they headed into the school building, "We came looking for you when you were gone a long time, and there was Parker with his face all bloody"

"We couldn't get close enough to find out what had happened, he was all surrounded by people and then the cops came" Willow continued when her friend had left off, "Buffy, we were so worried about you"

"Again with the sorrys" the blonde said awkwardly, "I so should've said something to you, or called when I got home but, I kinda needed some time" she said, looking away.

"Were you and Parker attacked?" Willow asked worriedly.

Buffy shook her head.

"No, we weren't, he kind of..." she sighed, taking a breath before she explained, "Parker came onto me, he wanted to... go further than I did" she told them, "I tried to stop him and then Spike came along"

"Spike? As is in Faith's bleached psycho boyfriend, Spike?" Xander asked, looking stunned.

"He's not a psycho!" Buffy protested a little more strongly than she might've, "He saved me Xander, he got Parker away from me, and then he walked me home" she explained, "He was so great"

The dreamy look in her eyes was a little lost on Xander who was already contemplating the damage he'd like to do to one Parker Abrams, but Willow saw it. The same look was on her blonde friends face as had been there yesterday, only then it had been for Parker, now it was for Spike.

"That Abrams guy needs putting straight" Xander was saying as they continued walking down the hall, "I mean he has to know he can't mess with... hey!"

Xander stopped mid-rant as he ran right into another body. At first he was annoyed but soon changed his attitude when he noticed it was a female body that was pressed up against his own, and the owner of it had the most beautiful eyes as she stared up at him.

"Why don't you look where you're going, you strange boy" she said, backing up a step, "The hall is quite large enough for you to go around, I don't see why you felt the need to try to tunnel through me that way"

"Hey, I'm sorry, I... I'm sorry" Xander said awkwardly, a little taken aback by this new girl he'd never seen before. She was gorgeous and the fact that she was yelling at him didn't bother him in the slightest.

"Are you new around here?" Buffy asked the mystery girl when it seemed Xander was incapable of forming a proper sentence, "You look kinda lost"

"Yes, I am new to this school and also very lost" she said, glancing around uncertainly, "My name is Anya Jenkins" she introduced herself with a smile, looking strangely at Xander since he was looking strangely at her. He appeared to be struck dumb by the sight of her as his two friends introduced themselves and then Xander since he seemed incapable of saying his own name right now. It was only when he realised he and Anya had the same class first period that he snapped out of his daze.

"I can show you where that is" he grinned, over-enthusiastically, giving a thumbs up sign to his friends as he walked off down the corridor with Anya.

"I don't know why but I think Xander likes her" Buffy smiled.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Willow grinned, also finding the whole thing amusing, "I think it's nice though. You never know, Anya might turn out to be his special someone. I already think I found mine" she admitted shyly and Buffy gave her a look.

"The guy from the Internet?" she checked, "Will, are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Sure I'm sure" the red-head nodded, "Bikin' Boy is the most amazing guy I ever met, even though I haven't actually met him for real" she explained, "I just wish I knew who he really was"

As the girls walked on down the corridor, they didn't notice who they passed by or the smile on his face as he heard their conversation. Wesley himself was somewhat surprised to realise that the mysterious and wonderful 'Net Girl' he'd been talking to online was in fact Willow Rosenburg, but it seemed she must be. After all, Bikin' Boy was his screen-name.

He ought to tell her, he knew that, but Wes was overly aware of his less-than-cool status at Sunnydale High. There was nothing to say that Willow would want to even talk to him if she knew who he really was. For now his secret would remain just that, until he was sure she liked him enough for him to reveal himself.

* * *

Spike was hunting for his keys so he could go to work, when Faith got home. He'd fallen asleep alone and woken up the some way, which neither thrilled him nor surprised him really. Faith came and went as she pleased, same as he did, that was just the way it was. She was yawning as she came into the apartment right now, getting in Spike's way as he continued to search for his misplaced keys.

"Mornin' lover" she smiled as she deliberately blocked his way and kissed his lips. He didn't respond, just moved her out of his way and disentangled himself from her arms.

"Thought you were on a mercy mission last night" he said as he pulled up the couch cushions and felt underneath them, "Not a bloody drinking binge"

"You expect me to listen to Illyria bitch for hours without a little liquid help?" she rolled her eyes, "She's a friend and everything but man that girl can talk" she sighed, flopping into the armchair despite the fact she knew very well it was the next place Spike planned to look for his missing keys.

"Whatever, luv, really don't have time for this" he told her as he got more and more frustrated, muttering thanks to the Powers That Be when he finally found his keys and shoved them in the pocket of his leather coat.

"You had time to play Superman last night" said Faith from her position sprawled in the arm chair. That caught Spike's attention.

"What're you on about, pet?" he checked and she grinned at him.

"Some girl outside the Bronze, her guy comin' on too strong" she smirked, "Rumour has it you played knight in shining armour to some poor innocent little thing" she laughed, "It's weird, I never had you down for the hero type. Or were you just in it for the reward?" she asked with a particularly dirty look on her face.

"You do know who the girl was?" Spike asked her, head tilted to one side as he stared at her, wondering if she did know would she really be saying such things? When Faith looked blank he explained, "You remember the little blonde girl you left at home, right?" he asked her with a look, and Faith frowned.

"You talkin' about B?" she checked, "Cos the kid don't even date yet"

Spike smirked at that.

"Oh, the kid does" he told her, "Or least she did, reckon that Parker git might've put her off fellas for a while but..."

"Damn!" Faith's cursing interrupted him, "We told her not to go near that scum-sucking bastard!"

"And you expected her to... what? Listen?" Spike shook his head, "'S more than you ever do" he sighed as he turned towards the door.

"She okay?" Faith called behind him and for a second there the bleached blond almost thought she sounded genuinely concerned about someone who wasn't herself.

"She's fine" he assured her, "I walked her back to Revello, she was smilin' again by the time we got there"

"Cool" Faith muttered, not looking at him as she went over it in her head and Spike left the apartment, door banging shut behind him.

Some guys had been hanging around the Bronze last night, guys Faith knew, one of which was Illyria's latest ex. After a barrell load of Dutch courage he'd had his friends bring him over to her place to apologise and try to win her back or whatever. That was when Faith had got talking to the others and they'd told of the fight they'd seen as Spike had pulled some other guy off a young girl and beaten him to a bloody pulp for daring to touch her. It had never once occurred to Faith that the girl in question might have been her own half-sister, after all the guys never told her the other man was Parker, she guessed they hadn't seen his face in the dark, and it wouldn't have meant much if they had. If Spike had been pounding on the guy he could be unrecognisable by now.

"B gettin' into trouble" Faith said to herself as she took herself off to bed, despite the fact it was the beginning of the day, "The world sure is changin'"

* * *

"Hey guys, what's up?" Buffy frowned when she caught up with her friends in the cafeteria at lunch. Neither Willow, Xander or new addition Anya looked very happy and she wondered why, since they'd seemed okay this morning.

"It's nothing, really" Willow forced a smile, but Buffy wasn't buying it.

"Of course it's not nothing" Anya piped up as she swallowed her mouthful of food, "They're not happy because some guy has been spreading rumours about you being a tease" she explained to Buffy whose mouth dropped open with shock.

"What!" she exclaimed as she glanced around the room and noticed several people talking about her and shooting dirty looks her way.

"Parker" Xander sighed, "I guess he didn't want to tell his friends that he got nowhere with you or that some guy dented his face cos he was... well, doing what he was doing" he said awkwardly.

"So he's telling everyone I led him on?" Buffy gasped incredulously.

Willow nodded sadly.

"He's kinda saying you said you, y'know, wanted to, then backed out, and when he tried to apologise you got a couple of guys to beat him up" she explained.

A painful laugh escaped Buffy's throat as she sat down on her seat with a thump.

"One guy. Spike" she said flatly, "And he hit him one time to get him off me was all"

"We know, sweetie" Willow assured her, "And y'know this'll all blow over, nobody's gonna pay much attention to Stinky Parker Man"

"I know I wouldn't" Anya said, hoping it was helpful. She was glad when Xander smiled at her, she felt she must have said the right thing for once and that pleased her. He really was a nice guy and these were the first friendly-type people she'd met at Sunnydale High. It'd be nice to fit in for once.

"Y'know what? I don't care what Parker says about me" Buffy said, with more force than she really felt, "I know what really happened, and that is all the matters. There are way better guys than him in Sunnydale"

Willow frowned at that but nonetheless supported her friend in her little 'I don't care' riff. She didn't want Parker, or anyone else for that matter, to be upsetting Buffy. She also didn't like the idea of her having a crush on Spike, but it seemed there was little she could do about that right now. He was older and hotter than the guys at the High School and he'd played hero for Buffy last night, it was kind of obvious she'd like him. Willow could only hoped it was just a random attraction that would pass in a few days or something. If she was serious about liking him that was going to make life interesting, and not really in the good way.

_To Be Continued..._


	9. Chapter 9

_**(For disclaimer, etc.- see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 9

"All I'm saying is maybe those guys should've tried having a little more... Faith" Xander's comment on today's history class took an unexpected turn as he, Willow, and Buffy got to the school gates and found the blonde's half-sister there, leaning on the railings and smoking a cigarette.

"Faith?" Buffy frowned when she spotted her, worried most especially because Faith only usually smoked when she was extremely drunk or something was bothering her.

"Hey, kid" her step-sister half smiled and put her cigarette out on the ground, "What's happenin'?" she asked as she pushed her sun glasses up on top of her head.

"Not much" Buffy shook her head, "Er, are you okay?" she checked, as she said a quick goodbye to her friends and they headed off home in the opposite direction.

"Kinda what I wanted to ask you actually" Faith admitted, "Been hearin' stories about you and that slimebag Abrams" she said, sounding a little annoyed, "Hey, wait a sec, wasn't he the guy I told you _not_ to go anywhere near!" she said, sarcasm and anger edging her words.

"Faith, do we have to make a big about this?" Buffy sighed, "I made a mistake, I learned my lesson, blah, blah, blah" she said, waving her hand in a bored gesture, "It's not like you don't mess up or do the wrong thing"

"We're different types, B" Faith pointed out, "I get in a jam, I can get myself out. You, you're just an innocent little kid and..."  
"Excuse me!" Buffy gasped, "Self-righteous, much? I am so not a kid"

"You're sixteen" her sister told her matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, and at my age you'd already got busted for drinking, smoking, shop-lifting, sleeping with that guy..." she counted off the points and was not done yet, but Faith interrupted anyway.

"I ain't you, B" she told her simply, "You and me, we're different people, we do different stuff..." she sighed, "Look, Mom and Giles, they love you, and they don't wanna see you end up..." her sentence tailed off then and Buffy looked sadly at her.

"Like you?" she finished for her, knowing it was what she herself would rather not admit, "Faith, they love you too" she reminded her.

"Yeah, maybe" the brunette smirked, "Whatever, it's not like I need taking care of anymore anyhow, I'm a big girl y'know"

"Everybody needs someone to take care of them" Buffy told her, "And you so have someone for that. What about Spike?"

That particular question made Faith laugh long and loud.

"Spike? Take care of me?" she chuckled, "Yeah, that's a good one. Spike's cool and all, we have fun and I can stand him enough to crash at his place but it ain't like I'm gonna be gettin' hitched and squirtin' out his brats or nothin'" she explained, "I'm not the hearts and flowers type, B, and neither is he. We're just in it for kicks"

"That's kinda sad" Buffy frowned, "Spike is such a great guy, so sweet and cool and majorly hot and..." she noticed the weird look on Faith's face and let that sentence go, "I mean, it was nice of him to look out for me like he did, save me from Parker and all" she said quickly, hoping to take the focus off her 'Spike rocks' riff and onto something else, though perhaps the topic of what had happened with her and Parker was just as uncomfortable.

"Yeah, you were damn lucky he had his eye on you, little sister" Faith told Buffy with an unimpressed look, "I might not be the smartest person in town or nothin', I ain't proud of it but I know that's true, but one thing I know is guys" she told her sister, who nodded that she knew that and agreed, "When I tell you a guy is bad news, you take the advice, got it?"

"Yes, Mom" Buffy said sarcastically, dodging away when Faith pretended to knock her upside her head, "But seriously, I am sorry I didn't listen to you" the younger girl said, looking towards the sidewalk, "I know you know more about this stuff than me"

"Yeah, well" Faith shrugged, "You're too young to be thinking about guys and gettin' bouncy and all anyway"

"Eeeww" her sisters face was a sight to see as she recoiled at that comment, "Gross, Faith. I so was not thinking of doing anything like that with Parker, I think I proved that" she said and her sister nodded that she knew that.

"Still, you got a lot to learn, B" she shook her head, as the pair reached the front gate of 1630 Revello Drive, "I guess I'll see you sometime, whenever" Faith shrugged as she made to walk away, until Buffy called her back.

"Can't you come in for a while? Maybe have something to eat?" she said hopefully, but her sister did not look eager to be going into the house.

"I'm not hungry" she said with a slight shake of her head.

"Then just come say hi to Mom" she urged her, "I know she'd love to see you, she worries about you, I know she does"

"You're sweet, kid" Faith smiled, "but you're a lousy liar. I'll see ya, B" she said as she turned and walked away, leaving Buffy alone.

The blonde was both angry and upset about Faith not coming into the house with her, though most of feelings were aimed at her parents rather than her sister. She did some bad things sometimes, but Buffy loved her sister, no matter what she did. Though she knew her parents loved her older sibling too, she wished they'd say it and show it more. She wanted her family all together, how it used to be, minus the arguments and yelling that often occurred. There wasn't really one person in particular to blame. Faith, their Mom, Giles, they all did their part in making things worse sometimes, Buffy just wished everybody could get along, but the older she got the more she was starting to see that situations were rarely as perfect and good as you would have them be. She was frowning hard when she came into the house and her mother noticed immediately.

"Bad day, sweetheart?" she asked her with a concerned look.

"Not so much" Buffy shook her head, "I mean it wasn't the greatest day ever, but... Mom, don't you miss Faith?" she asked suddenly, causing Joyce to look away.

"She's my daughter Buffy, just like you are" she said, avoiding the point of the question completely as she bent down to re-arrange the magazines on the coffee table and then got up and turned to shift the pictures and paperweights on the mantelpiece.

"That's not an answer" Buffy observed, "I know she's your daughter, but do you miss her?"

The young blonde was quite surprised when her mother turned to face her once again with tears in her eyes.

"Yes Buffy, of course I miss her" she said with a quiver in her voice, "I'm not saying I miss the yelling or the arguments or the calls from the police but... she's my baby girl, no matter how old she is or what she does. Of course I miss her" she repeated, wiping her eyes so that the tears couldn't escape down her cheeks.

Buffy felt awful for having brought up the subject now, as she crossed the room and gave her mother a hug that Joyce welcomed.

At least she had her littlest girl here with her, but she was not so naive that she hadn't realised that this wouldn't last forever either. Buffy was not Faith, they were two very different girls despite the fact they were half-sisters, but soon enough the younger girl would grow up, move on, maybe go to college, have a career and a family of her own - time moved so quickly.

"I wish things were how they used to be" Buffy sighed as her mother held her tight.

"Unfortunately, things have to change, sweetheart" Joyce told her, as they parted and she looked at her daughter, tucking her hair behind her ear for her, "It's the way of the world"

"Sure, some things have to change" Buffy agreed, "People are born, people die, everybody has to grow up and get old and stuff, but love doesn't change" she said thoughtfully, "You don't just stop loving somebody, like, you and Faith, you still love each other"

"Well, of course we do, Buffy" Joyce smiled, "That won't ever change. I'll always love you and your sister, and your father too, obviously"

"Maybe you could tell Faith that" her daughter advised, "I just think maybe it'd help" she shrugged before heading for the stairs to go up to her room and deal with her homework. She hoped she'd given her mother something to think about, and that hopefully everything would get back to normal soon.

In the meantime she had History, English, Geometry... Buffy's head spun as she pulled her books out of her bag and assessed the stack of homework she had to do. This was the part where she envied Faith, the part where she had so much to do and was reminded of how little her sister had to do each day. She didn't work, she just had fun, went out to the Bronze for drinks and dancing, and she had Spike to do all that with. Buffy sighed at the thought of her literal hero. He'd saved her last night and she would always be eternally grateful to him for that.

* * *

"'Nother tough day of daytime telly then, eh luv?" Spike rolled his eyes as he returned from work and looked towards the couch expecting to find his girlfriend on it like she usually was, "Faith?" he called, looking around for her but she clearly wasn't there.

Not really very concerned by her absence, Spike went about his business, taking a shower and changing his clothes, then ordering take-out.

When there was a knock at the door he assumed it was his pizza and got a surprise when it was Faith.

"What's wrong with your key, you silly bint?" Spike asked her as he let her in.

"I forgot it" she shrugged, pulling off her jacket before she was barely through the door and pushing Spike til he fell backwards onto the couch. She was on him in a second, lips crushed to his, hands roaming his body. Though Spike had no idea what had got her so in the mood so suddenly, he wasn't so stupid he was about to object as he kissed her back in equal measure, passion rising as she made his body yearn for her the way only Faith could. They knew each other so well, it was all automatic.

The phone threatened to interrupt their fun, but they both ignored the ringing, Faith muttering something about someone leaving a message if they cared enough to. She soon changed her tune when her mother's voice could be heard through the answering machine.

"Faith, honey, it's Mom" Joyce said awkwardly.

The very sound of her voice dampened the couples ardour considerably as they parted, attempting to calm themselves down as they listened to the message as it was left.

"I was thinking, things between us, they shouldn't be like this" Joyce continued, "I don't want us to be enemies, sweetheart, so I was wondering... would you come over on Saturday, after lunch? I think we should spend some time as a family, talk through things. I just want things to be how they were" she echoed words Buffy had said to her just a couple hours before as Faith listened with a strange expression on her face.

"Well, pet" Spike sighed, as he ran his hand back through his hair to straighten it out, "There's a turn up for the books"

"Yeah" Faith said absently, her mood completely changed by one simple message.

_To Be Continued..._


	10. Chapter 10

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 10

"You ain't dressed?" Faith frowned as she came out of the bedroom and found Spike seated on the couch in just a pair of tatty jeans, hitting the TV on the top with the flat of his hand.

"Dressed as I plan to be on the one Saturday in the month I don't have to work" Spike told her, barely glancing from his task of trying to tune in the TV to the channel he wanted.

"Did you forget we're goin' to my Mom's in like a half hour?" Faith said as she checked her make-up in a compact mirror, reapplying her lipstick.

"Er, no" Spike shook his head, standing up properly and smirking at her, "_You _are going to see your mother, not me, luv" he told her as he side-stepped her and went over to the kitchen area, hunting in the fridge for a beer or similar.

"Kinda thought you were coming with" Faith frowned a little as she followed him, "Y'know maybe as my back up?"

"Since when did you need back up?" her lover checked, "'S not like you can't stand up for yourself, pet" he reminded her, as he located a can of beer and popped the top, "'Sides which, won't dear old Mum and Step-Daddy flip their lids they catch sight of the 'unsavoury' fella their eldest is shacked up with?"

"Maybe" Faith shrugged, "but hey, ain't it worth the trip just for that?" she tried to convince him. Spike stared at her, head tilted to one side as he did so. This wasn't about pissing the folks off at all. Her words about wanting him to play back up were much more accurate he realised as he looked her in the eye just briefly before she glanced away.

"Fine, whatever" Faith shrugged eventually, "You don't wanna come, you don't have to" she said, looking around for her keys and her cell-phone. Spike rolled his eyes behind her, took a big gulp from his beer can, before abandoning it on the counter.

"Give us ten minutes, luv" he said, crossing back to the bedroom door, "I'll be ready by then"

As the door clicked shut behind him, Faith looked up, smiling at his change of heart. He was a decent guy, a lot better than he was given credit for. If she were the type for it, she knew Spike would be the kind of guy she could settle down with. As it was she knew that would never happened, neither of them could handle a real long-term relationship of any kind, it just wasn't their way.

* * *

"What the hell am I doin' here?" Faith groaned as she stood on the doorstep of 1630 Revello Drive with Spike right beside her.

"Beats me, pet" he shrugged, "I have better things I could be doing"

"I told you, you didn't have to come, asshole" she snapped at him, but her lover was unphased, very much used to her outbursts that usually only occurred because she got scared or upset. She hid a lot of feelings behind anger and violence but Spike was pretty good at reading people. Though he said nothing to Faith about it, he always knew what she really felt, no matter how well she thought she was hiding it.

"Said I'd be here for you, I'm here" he reminded her, "Now ring the bloody bell will you?" he leaned across to do it for her when she made no move, "Feel like a right bloody ponce standin' here all day"

Faith was about to yell at him again when the front door of the house opened and Joyce smiled at her daughter.

"Faith, sweetheart" she said, coming over all emotional as mother's were prone to do as she gave the girl a brief hug and then turned her attention to Spike.

"Mrs Giles" he said politely with a nod of his head.

"Faith, honey, who is this?" Joyce asked awkwardly just as Buffy started to come down the stairs to greet her sister, she stopped when she heard a familiar English voice.

"Name's Spike" he said simply, "Faith's been crashin' at mine since she left here" he told the shocked looking Mrs Giles.

The only person with wider eyes might've been Buffy who's swiftly ran back up the steps, slamming into her room, and standing with her back against the inside of the door. She'd been thrilled to know Faith was coming over this afternoon, she really hoped things could be figured out between her parents and her half-sister, then maybe Faith could come home or at least visit often. She wanted her happy family back together was all, she never once thought that Faith might bring Spike to the house.

"Damn!" she cursed as she ran to her closet and rifled through the contents. She just had nothing to wear! Anything that might impress Spike, well, her father would go crazy if she wore it, and none of her so-called sensible clothes would do anything but enforce the bleached blond's theory that she was nothing but a little kid.

Whilst Buffy was overly aware that Spike was Faith's boyfriend and way too old to be her own anyway, it didn't mean she didn't want him to think she was cool too. He was maybe the hottest guy she'd ever met in real life, and he was incredibly sweet too. Those type of men only usually existed in movies, but here was one in Sunnydale, actually in her house, and Buffy was determined to make an impression.

Faith and Spike took a seat on the couch, both feeling so very awkward by now and wishing they were anywhere but here. Joyce fussed like mothers do, commenting to her daughter that she didn't look like she was sleeping or eating well. Faith shrugged off the comments, almost relieved when her mother went to the kitchen to make coffee and Giles appeared instead.

"Hello Faith" he greeted her with a half-smile, ever wary of his step-daughters moods.

"Hey Giles" she nodded, "This is Spike" she introduced with a smirk when she spotted the look of shock on the older man's face. Of course half the reason for bringing her lover here was for shock factor. There was no way her straight-laced folks were gonna appreciate a guy like Spike in their house, at least that was what she'd thought.

"Nice to meet you, Giles" the bleached blond said as he shook hands with the man, "Heard so much about you" he smirked, recalling the way Faith had ranted and raved about her so-called evil step-father. Though he looked a little overly-starched and tweedy, Spike couldn't see this bloke being the monster his woman could make him out to be, he doubted very much he had it in him.

"Ah, so you are from England, Spike?" Giles smiled as he noted the young man's accent and took a seat in the armchair opposite.

"Yeah, just north of Watford originally" he explained, "Long time since I saw the mother country though"

"Yes I must say it's been some time since I have been back myself" Giles sighed, "My family hails from Oxford" he explained, as Faith looked on with wide eyes, "I moved here not long after completing my University course"

"My Dad went to Uni there too" Spike told him, and Faith was starting to wonder if she'd tripped into Bizarro World somewhere between the apartment and Revello Drive. Watching her step-dad and Spike have a normal conversation about their homeland was just overly disturbing and way too Twilight Zone to be for real.

"Faith!" Buffy called as she hurried down the stairs, slowing a little when she realised Spike's eyes had turned to focus on her too. It wouldn't do to encourage this idea he had that she was some little kid, and that was what she'd look like if she started running around and whooping like a five year old!

"Yo, B, how's things?" her sister smiled as she rose from the couch and hugged the blonde. She was perhaps the one person she missed out of her family but she couldn't help but wonder why she looked different somehow.

"Pretty good" Buffy assured her before turning to the young man beside her sister, "Hey Spike" she grinned overly much, but Spike didn't really notice that. Though he knew she was not even seventeen she looked far from a child right now. If he'd met her in a bar some night he knew he'd be buying her drinks, offering to take her back to his for coffee, Faith be damned. He shook his head to bring himself out of a daze when he realised he was staring and had not yet answered her.

"Alright, luv" he smiled, "You look nice, going somewhere special?"

"No" she shrugged, "Just hanging out here with you guys, nothing special" she told him as she sat down, trying to hide the grin that wanted to burst onto her face. He'd noticed her now, noticed that she was dressed differently, that she'd made an effort. Buffy only wished he realised the effort was all for him.

"Coffee" Joyce announced as she came back into the room and placed a tray down on the table. As she made sure everybody had a drink and was offered cookies, silence reigned throughout the room. Though this meeting had been arranged specifically with the plan of talking, nobody was really sure where best to begin, and so the silence stretched out between them as they ate and drank.

Buffy's eyes stayed mostly on Spike, except of course when he was looking at her. It wouldn't do for him to know she was interested in watching him, beside he might think she was some kind of freak if he caught her staring and that was the very last thing she wanted. She was amused to see him glance around at the family group, making sure no-one was watching before dipping his cookie into his coffee and then eating it. Buffy knew it was something her father occasionally did and chalked it up as a very British custom that was totally weird.

"So, Faith" her mothers voice jolted her from her thoughts as she tuned into the conversation that was starting between the older woman and her sister, "How's the job hunting going?"

"It's okay" Faith shrugged her shoulders. It seemed that was the entirety of the answer the girl was prepared to give and Giles sighed, turning to Spike.

"Er, do you have a profession, Spike?" he asked him, almost afraid to but unable to bear the silence any longer.

"Yeah, I'm a mechanic" he told the older man, "'S not an engine I can't put back together. 'S the one good thing I learnt from my Dad"

"Well, that's... that's marvellous" Giles nodded his head, "Indeed, what a fine mess we would be in if there were no-one to fix our cars when they broke down"

Faith snorted at that and dumped her half empty coffee cup on the table. She knew her step-dad was just being polite. Like her mother, he would much prefer Faith, and indeed Buffy, to meet upstanding young men who were studying in college to be something great like a doctor or a lawyer or similar. They weren't snobs exactly, they just wanted the best for their kids, but like with most things, Faith took it all the wrong way and Buffy could almost feel the argument coming, much like animals sense a storm or earthquake on it's way.

"You think there's somethin' wrong with being a mechanic?" Faith challenged and Joyce was quick to calm her.

"No, Faith, of course not" she assured her as Giles pulled off his spectacles and cleaned them on a hanky.

"No, indeed" he agreed with his wife, "As I say, the country needs mechanics, and of course it is much better than not having a job at all"

His perfectly innocent sentence set Faith off as she took it the wrong way like she always did, and saw her step-fathers words as an attack on her unemployed state.

As the yelling and cursing started up between her parents and her sister, Buffy pushed herself further back into the arm chair, wishing they would just stop already and get along like she was sure they could if they tried. She was the only one that noticed Spike leave the room, and exit the house through the front door.

Knowing it was unlikely her family would pay any attention to herself either, she dodged around their argument and ran after the bleached blond. She found him leaning on the railing on the front porch, smoking a cigarette. It was perhaps the only major fault she could find with this guy, the fact that he had a nicotine habit, still even that could not make her like him any less.

"Those things will kill you" she said as she came to stand beside him, not really knowing where else to start the conversation.

"'S what they tell me" Spike smirked, taking a deep drag on his cigarette anyway, "They always like that?" he asked, tipping his head towards the house. Buffy sighed and looked down.

"Sometimes" she admitted, "Actually, most of the time. I don't know why they can't just get along"

"'S families for you, pet" Spike told her, "Some are all about love and hugs, everybody getting along with everybody else, but that's the special ones rather than the normal"

"Do you fight with your family?" she asked curiously and Spike looked a little uncomfortable before he replied.

"Probably would, if I knew where any of them were" he told her, "Parents split when I was a nipper, Dad went off to God knows where, Mum couldn't cope with me when I got to be the little sod I became" he smirked, "No brothers or sisters at all, so all that's left is yours truly, sole survivor of the wreckage that is the Walker family" he sighed, finishing off his cigarette, throwing the butt down and crushing it under the heel of his boot.

"I'm sorry" Buffy sympathised, "but y'know you turned out pretty well without your family" she said, regretting the words the moment they left her mouth. Her head was down when Spike turned to look at her and he put a finger under her chin, turning her head til she was looking at him again.

"You're a sweet girl, luv" he told her, "Don't let this lot get you down or change you, right?"

"I won't" she said more quietly than she meant to, her heart thumping a mile a minute as she looked up into his clear blue eyes. Their pretty little moment was soon broken as Faith came crashing through the front door, pulling on her jacket as she went and cursing colourfully as she moved down the steps.

"Yo, Spike! We're leaving!" she yelled over her shoulder and with roll of his eyes he followed her towards the front gate,.

"Faith!" Buffy called after her, but her sister didn't even look back.

The blonde found comfort in the fact that at least Spike spared her a glance and a wave. As awful as it sounded, in some ways she was more sad to see him leave so fast than she was Faith right now.

_To Be Continued..._


	11. Chapter 11

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 11

"Hey Will" Buffy smiled when she finally got through to her best friend on Sunday afternoon, "I've been trying to call you since last night!" she told the red-head who blushed on the other end of the line.

"I was kinda busy online" she admitted, "Bikin' Boy was on. Buffy, he's so amazing, we talked all night" she enthused.

"Wow" the blonde gasped, "All night? And yet you still don't have any idea who he is?"

"Not really" Willow told her, "I mean, I know he's somewhere in Southern California, we didn't narrow it down any more than that yet, but we talk about everything, and he understands me somehow"

"I really hope he turns out to be as great as he seems, Will" Buffy smiled, "You deserve it"

Her friend thanked her for that and then asked why in particular she'd been trying to call her for so long.

"I just wanted to talk" Buffy told her as if it were no big deal, even though it really was, "Y'know, in general, talk about stuff, like, Faith coming over yesterday"

"Oh yeah, how did that go?" Willow asked, hoping for her friends sake that it went well, but knowing it was unlikely. Faith had a fiery temper and there was little her parents could say to her without her flying off the handle. The red-head herself had born witness to many an outburst over the years and for herself was a little glad that whenever she went over to Buffy's house she no longer had to worry about what she might have to hear or see as regards Faith and her rages.

"It was bad in one way, but so great in another way" Buffy explained, "I mean, Faith totally went crazy at my Mom and Dad when they started talking about jobs and stuff. Spike was so totally uncomfortable..."  
"Spike was there too?" Willow checked.

"Yeah, I guess Faith wanted him for back up or something" Buffy shrugged, "but he so didn't wanna get into the fight. He left the room and I went after him and we totally had a moment on the front porch"

"What kind of moment?" her friend asked, a frown forming on her face. She really didn't like the idea of Buffy getting up close and personal with Faith's boyfriend. It was wrong and bad from so many angles and in so many ways.

"Well, we were talking about family and stuff, and I said something lame and was so embarrassed" she told her, "and then he made me look at him and looked into my eyes and told me I was sweet and to not ever change. I promised him I wouldn't. Honestly Will, the way he was looking at me, I'd've promised him anything right then"

"Anything?" Willow squeaked, her worry factor trebling within a fraction if a second at that word.

"Well, maybe not _anything_" Buffy admitted as she considered the implications, "but it was amazing, the feelings that I got when he looked at me, there aren't words for that. I swear I almost passed out"

"Buffy, sweetie" Willow said carefully, "Do you think maybe you're getting a little too crazy about this guy" she asked her, voice getting almost impossibly quiet as she said what she'd rather not, but what she felt needed to be said, "I mean, he is Faith's boyfriend and he's older and..."

"Geez, Will, it's not like I wanna marry him" Buffy interrupted, though as the thought of spending her life with Spike sprang into her head she found it was not unappealing, "I just like him is all. He's nice, and totally hot, and... I dunno, he's just... Spike" she said eventually, unable to find any other suitable word to describe him.

With little else to be said on the subject, the topic of conversation soon shifted to more regular things, such as homework and shopping and when they might next make a trip to the Bronze. It was somewhere amongst all this that Willow remembered something.

"Oh, by the way, do you still have my moonstone bracelet?" she asked Buffy who frowned as she walked over to her jewellery box and looked inside. Holding the phone under her chin, she pulled out various chains and trinkets but no moonstone bracelet like the one her friend spoke of.

"Didn't I give that back to you?" she asked as she searched a little more just in case.

"Kinda not" Willow informed her, and Buffy thought hard as to what might have happened to the piece of jewellery in question.

"That's so weird" she said more to herself than to her friend, "I know I had it last week, I was wearing it when I went to Faith's apartment cos I remember seeing it on my wrist there, but after that..."

"You think you dropped it at the apartment?" Willow asked, "Cos knowing how untidy your sister is it's probably just buried under some trash there"

"Maybe" Buffy considered, as she thought hard about it...

* * *

"Yours, I believe" Spike said as he dropped something into Faith's lap.

"Huh?" she said looking down and picking up the bracelet before it got lost amongst the sofa cushions, "This ain't mine" she frowned.

"Well, who's the bloody hell is it then?" Spike asked her as he threw some random papers in a drawer and fetched himself a beer from the refridgerator, "I've not had any other birds in the car since the last time I de-junked it" he told her.

"Might wanna re-count Spikey, cos this is not mine" Faith told him, handing the bracelet back to the bleached blond, not at all concerned by the fact he'd probably been giving rides to other women. They weren't 'exclusive', as you might say, their relationship just wasn't like that.

"No girl has been in my car but you..." he said, thoughtfully before something dawned on him, "'Cept for one" he realised with a roll of his eyes, after all it should've been obvious, "Gave your sister a ride home from here the other night, didn't I?" he recalled.

"Oh right" Faith nodded, "Yeah, figures B would have somethin' like that, and that she wouldn't miss it" she said, sounding almost bitter, "Little princess has some much stuff, one missing bracelet wouldn't have made it on her radar yet"

"Still, it belongs to her, ought to give it back" Spike said, pocketing the item, "'M not the finders keepers type"

"Well, ain't you just the good Samaritan lately" Faith smirked, "First you drive my sister home, next you're saving her from that slime bag Abrams, now returning her jewellery"

"Just being friendly" Spike shrugged, "She's a decent sort"

"She's also sixteen, and my sister" Faith said with a look that wasn't the least bit friendly. Spike got her meaning immediately.

"Whatever you've got going on in that dirty little head of yours, Lehane, you can forget it right now" he told her, "Told you before, I'm not the cradle snatching sort" he reminded her, "Why do you always have to see the bad in everybody, think we're all out to be bastards and wreck lives. We're not all your soddin' father, y'know?!" he yelled quite incensed.

By now he'd angered Faith to the point when she drew back her fist and punched him across the jaw, with such a force he actually reeled back. By the time he'd righted himself she'd stormed off to the bedroom slamming the door behind her, and Spike cursed colourfully. He hadn't meant to upset the bint so much, but she was bloody infuriating lately and driving him nuts with her weird looks and words whenever Buffy's name came up. Maybe the little blonde popped up in conversation a bit too much lately, but Spike wasn't sure why, and he certainly didn't understand why Faith went off the deep end every time. The kid was sixteen after all, and like he said of no interest to him. Maybe a few years ago when he was that age, or possibly if Buffy was older... Spike frowned, stopping half way down the stairs from the apartment and looking back. When had he started thinking about Buffy as someone he could date in different circumstances?

"I must be going bloody insane" he said to himself as he pulled the bracelet from his pocket and looked at it sitting in his hand. He was being stupid, he told himself. He was just looking out for his woman's sister was all, nothing sinister in that he decided as he cleared the bottom step and headed out to the car. Pocketing the bracelet he jumped into the drivers seat of his precious DeSoto and fired up the engine, screeching the tyres as he head off down the road at break-neck speed.

From the bedroom window, Faith watched him go, feeling both a little hurt and angry. Maybe she was being stupid, thinking a guy like Spike would choose Little Miss Priss over a woman like her who would do anything he wanted, but Faith was so used to people liking Buffy better, caring more for the little blonde than for herself. Despite the fact she played the protective older sister in front of Spike, her problem was really jealousy and she hated that fact more than anything else.

* * *

Buffy was sitting in her bedroom window, looking out into Revello Drive and day-dreaming instead of doing her homework. For about the twentieth time today she was replaying the scene from yesterday in her head, the few moments she spent on the front porch with Spike. God, he was gorgeous, with the hair and the eyes and the cheekbones. There were Greek God's who would be jealous of his looks, she was sure, and yet it wasn't just his physical appearance that had her besotted. He did the hero thing so well that night when Parker went too far, and he was so sweet and caring, the way he drove her home the night she went over to the apartment. Seemed he cared enough about Faith to face the family Buffy was sure her sister would've described as Satan's own kin, and that made Spike very loyal and selfless too. Of course, it proved he must care a lot for Faith and that bothered Buffy more than she'd like. She and Faith were as opposite as black and white in most respects. If her older step-sister was Spike's kind of woman it seemed unlikely he'd ever be interested in someone like her.

"Buffy, sweetheart" Joyce called from the bottom of the stairs, "If you can get that English homework finished up in the next hour, you can come to the mall with your father and me"

That offer inspired Buffy to pick up her book once again although she remained at her window, as she read the passage of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet over again. She smiled at the words and looked out of window as she recited her own para-phrased version.

"Oh Spike, Spike, where for art thou, Spike?" she giggled like the teen she was as she imagined him appearing on her front lawn and calling up to her, telling her she was his lady and his love.

Buffy was seconds away from leaving the window when a screech of tyres caught her attention, her eyes widening as she saw Spike's DeSoto swing into the drive of her very own house.

"Oh my God" she gasped, as he got out of the car and headed up to the front door where she lost sight of him. Rushing to her mirror she checked her clothes, make-up, and hair, and yet was somehow at the door just seconds after Spike knocked on it, despite the fact her mother or father should have beaten her to it easily.

"Oh, hey Spike" Buffy smiled as she looked up at him, "You're like the last person I expected to see" she lied, fluttering her eyelashes. Spike's eyes wandered over her body before coming back to rest on her face. For a supposed kid, she had one hell of a figure and he internally cursed himself for even thinking it.

"Hello, luv" he managed to smile back at her, "I, er, found somethin'. Reckon it might belong to you" he told her, his memory suddenly returning all at once and reminding him what he'd come here for in the first place. Pulling the bracelet from his pocket he held it out to her and Buffy gasped when she saw it.

"Oh, that's not mine" she told him, causing Spike to frown. If it wasn't hers then who the hell had left it in his car? "It's my friends" she explained, reaching out to take it from him, electric currents pulsing up her arm as her fingers brushed against his own. Though he would never admit it, Spike also got a strange feeling when they touched just briefly. He put it down to Faith's strange ideas about his feelings for her younger sister. She'd put the stupid thought in his head that he might be attracted to Buffy, that was all. It was stupid of course, there was just no way he liked her like that.

"Found it in my car" he said, just for something to say, "S'pose you must have lost it there that night I drove you home"

"I guess" Buffy nodded, "Willow will be glad to have it back" she told him, "Thank you, for returning it"

"No problem, pet" he smiled, thinking now would be a good time to leave and yet his feet didn't seem eager to actually walk away.

"Oh, I'm sorry" Buffy said suddenly, "I am so rude, I should have asked if you want to come inside" she offered.

"Er, I can't right now, pet" Spike shook his head, "Places to go, things to do, y'know how it is" he shrugged.

"Yeah, sure" Buffy forced a smile, not wanting him to know she was terribly disappointed that he was leaving so fast.

"I'll see you around, I s'pose" Spike said as he turned and walked away, climbing back into his car and speeding away into the distance.

Buffy watched him disappear around the corner, hugging Willow's bracelet to her as she sighed.

"God, I hope so"

_To Be Continued..._


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N : So glad this fic has fans! I worried that the lack of actual Spuffy right now would mean nobody wanted to read it, but thankfully thats not true!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**  
_

Chapter 12

"Hey Spike, are you coming to bed?" Faith asked him in a tone he knew so well. She certainly was not inviting him to go and sleep.

"Not right now, luv" he told her, not even sparing her a glance as he kept his eyes on the TV, "Passions is on"

"Come on, Blondie" Faith urged him, climbing onto the couch beside him and kissing his face, fingers wandering over his chest and then in a downwards direction, "I got a new outfit and everything" she whispered in his ear.

When she pulled away, getting to her feet once again Spike finally looked at her, eyes nearly popping out of his head when he realised his lover had transformed into her own half-sister.

"Bloody hell" he gasped as he looked her over, wondering how the hell this had happened.

"This is what you want, right?" Buffy asked, standing before him, somehow looking equal parts like she should be wearing both a halo and a pair of horns with a tail!

"This can't be right" Spike shook his head, though his resolve weakened terribly as Buffy reached for his hand and pulled him to his feet. Pressing her body close to his, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips terribly close to his own but not quite touching yet.

"It feels right to me" she told him, "and I know you feel it too"

His resolve finally broken, Spike allowed his lips to find hers and kissed her like he so desperately wanted to, his hands roaming over her body as she kissed him back with a passion to equal his own. They were lying together on the couch in moments, relieving each other of their clothing as their hunger for each other grew...

"Bugger!" Spike exclaimed as something struck the top of his head and woke him from his dreams.

"Oh look, you can wake up" Faith said sarcastically from the doorway, "By the way, nice tent" she said, rolling her eyes as she spotted the tell-tale sign that Spike's dream had been less than innocent.

As she disappeared from the doorway, Spike checked the clock and realised he ought to be getting ready for work by now or he'd be late, but his mind wasn't really on these sensible things as much as it was on his dream. Thoughts of what he and Buffy had been doing did nothing to help a certain southern situation that Faith had noticed.

What the hell was he doing having erotic dreams about Buffy?! She was sixteen years old, okay so maybe she was actually almost seventeen, and she looked like she could pass for a couple of years older than that even, but Spike himself was almost eight years her senior. With people of an age, such a gap wouldn't mean that much, but when you were talking about a girl still in High School and a guy like him, Spike was seriously wondering if there wasn't something wrong with him. He just should not be thinking about Buffy that way and he was angry with himself for doing so, as well as with Faith. She'd put these stupid ideas in his head, all this talk of him liking her half-sister better. He'd told her it was crap, of course it had to be, except his subconscious had clearly decided differently as he slept.

"Damn and bugger" he cursed as he finally got out of bed and headed to the bathroom for a shower, resolving to think of Buffy no more today, but knowing deep down that it would prove impossible.

* * *

In was well past midday when Spike had finally been convinced by his boss to take his lunch break. The bleached blond was less than eager to be given free time, since he knew his mind would wander onto a certain young lady he'd sooner not be thinking of. In all honesty, Buffy Giles was there in his head even when he was working, but he could just about force himself to concentrate enough on the task in hand that it blocked out more vivid thoughts and memories of last nights dream.

Now he was walking out of the garage, alone and free of anything else to do or think about. He was quite glad when he spotted his friend Oz, out front, leaning on his van. The poor guy didn't look very happy.

"Alright, mate?" Spike checked as he walked over.

"Not so much" Oz admitted, with a shake of his head, "I got a van chock full of gear for a gig in LA and apparently zero brakes"

"Bugger" was his friends response, "You got no other transport?"

"Devan has his brother's van, but it's over in the school parking lot and I can't get through on his cell to get him here to pick up the stuff" Oz explained, "I guess we're just gonna have to blow off the gig"

"Maybe not" Spike told him, opening up the back of the van and peering inside, "Reckon we could get at least half this stuff in my car" he said thoughtfully, "Could have the lot shifted into Devan's van at the school in a couple of trips"

"You sure you got time?" the guy with the dyed black hair checked, "I mean, you don't have to work?"

"Lunch break" Spike explained, "Got an hour to kill"

"Cool" Oz nodded, as he hopped up into the back of the van with his friend and started unloading his gear.

Spike pulled the DeSoto into the Sunnydale High parking lot, right next to the psychedelic painted van that belonged to Devan's seventies-throwback of a brother.

"Damn" Oz suddenly exclaimed, "I'm going to have to track down Devan to get the keys" he realised.

"No problem, mate" Spike said easily, "You go find him, I'll wait here with the stuff"

"Thanks, man" Oz smiled as he got out of the car and strolled towards the school building, in search of his fellow Senior and band-mate.

Whilst he was gone, Spike turned up the radio, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel and singing along to The Ramones 'I Wanna Be Sedated'. His eyes fell closed as he leant back in the drivers seat, losing himself in the music for a while. He physically jumped like he'd been electrically shocked when she spoke.

"Hey" Buffy's chirpy little voice said as her face appeared in the open window.

"Alright, luv?" Spike forced a smile, trying not to think about the dream he had last night.

"I'm good" she nodded, "'Cept, y'know, school isn't exactly the most exciting thing ever" she rolled her eyes, "How come you're here?" she wanted to know, and Spike was beginning to ask himself that very same question. Why had he ever volunteered to come to the one place that he knew Buffy would be when he'd spent all day trying not to think about her?!

"Doin' a favour for a mate" he explained, not looking at her too much, "He needed a hand shiftin' some gear for his band"

"That's cool" she grinned, "You really are kinda good Samaritan guy, aren't you? I mean, first returning my friends bracelet and now moving stuff for your friend..."

"Yeah, I'm a regular boy scout" he smirked, obvious sarcasm in his tone, not least because he knew how far from an angel he was for thinking and dreaming the things he had about Buffy.

"Well, I should really go" the blonde sighed suddenly, "I have to be in class in ten minutes"

"Off you go then, pet" Spike urged her, "Don't want you gettin' into bother on my account" he told her as he glanced out through the windscreen, pretending to look around for Oz when really he was just avoiding making eye contact with her.

"Maybe you're worth it" he heard her say, making him turn round fast but she was already gone, half way across the parking lot, hugging her books to her chest and not even turning to glance at him as she hurried away, he guessed because she was embarrassed about her confession.

Spike close his eyes, expelling a breath before letting his head drop forward onto the steering wheel with a thud. If Buffy had a crush on him, and he was already having thoughts about her that were just plain wrong, not least because he was dating and living with her sister, things were not going to end well at all.

"I am going to go to hell for this" he groaned, seriously wishing he'd never met either of the sisters right now!

* * *

"Hey" Oz said behind Devan, who's head was currently in a locker, causing him to smack his head as he spun round too fast to see who was there.

"Damn, Oz" he complained, "Make a guy jump, much?"

"Sorry, man" the shorter of the two apologised, trying not to smirk, before going on to explain about the van and the gear. Devan handed over his keys without incident and Oz turned to go, ploughing straight into a red-head girl who was carrying so many books she couldn't see where she was going til it was too late.

"Oh my... I am so sorry" she apologised profusely as she got on her hands and knees and rescued the fallen books before they got trampled by the students that traipsed up and down the halls.

"No, I'm sorry" Oz told her as he too got on his knees and gathered up the remaining books. She reached to take the rest from him but he didn't let go.

"Let me help" he offered, "Are you taking these to the library?" he checked and Willow nodded, smiling like an idiot as the charming older boy helped her out.

Across the hall, Wesley was not at all happy to see a Senior, the lead guitarist of local band Dingoes Ate My Baby no less, helping Willow with her task of taking books to the library.

If only he himself had rounded the corner a few moments sooner it might've been him she bumped into, and it would be him she was smiling at now. Though Wes was pleased to know Willow liked him well enough from the way they talked online, he was sure she'd be far less impressed if she ever found out who he really was.

He was hoping to try to talk to her at school, perhaps get her to notice the real him, whilst charming her via computer each evening and weekend. Last night he'd lain awake planing it all out, the perfect romance he and Willow might have, but now he felt as if his dreams had been shattered. Oz seemed to have some sort of effect on the red-head, if the strange smile on her lips and the blush in her cheeks were any indication, and it upset Wes to no end.

With a dejected sigh the stereotypical geek walked away down the hall, bumping shoulders with a boy coming the other way and barely even noticing.

"Hey, watch where you're going?!" Xander yelled after him, to no avail, "Damn British guys who think they're so tough" he muttered, rubbing his shoulder as he continued walking.

"Xander!" a female voice calling his name caught his attention and he turned to see Anya hurrying towards him. They'd spent most of her first day of school together as he showed her around and gave her tips on surviving at Sunnydale High. For the first time in his life it seemed Xander had actually found a girl who thought all his jokes were hilarious and understood most of what he said, even when he yammered on about nothing in particular. Not once had she ignored him, insulted him, or told him what great friends they'd be. Xander actually had some hope in his heart that this was a girl he could date! Buffy and Willow were great friends, and he wouldn't trade them for the world, but he needed a woman, and Anya seemed eager to fill that role, if he was reading the signs right of course...

"I've been looking for you all over the place" she declared as she caught up to him and hooked her arm through his, "You weren't in the cafeteria at your sticky table eating sugary food" she told him.

"No, I was headed there with Buffy, but then she had to bail and Will was helping out the librarian" he explained, "Left me all on my lonesome" he shrugged.

"Well, you shouldn't be alone" Anya told him, "You're very charming and quite attractive for a high school boy who doesn't play sports" she smiled, hoping that had come out as complimentary as she'd meant for it too.

"Thanks" Xander smiled back at her, "You're... swell too" he said, immediately wondering if that sounded as stupid as he thought it did, but feeling reassured when Anya's grin only widened.

"So, now that's all clear" she said, leaning in close to him, "Want to find an empty class room and make out til the bell rings?" she asked him, looking perfectly serious.

Xander's eyes went wide at the question and he laughed nervously

"Er, do you wanna just repeat that cos I think my ears are a little blocked or something..." he began to ramble and Anya grew bored of it, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the hall, checking each classroom to see it if was empty or not. If he couldn't grasp the meaning of her words, maybe he'd understand her actions a little better.

_To Be Continued..._


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N :** **Here's morefor those that want it...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 13

"Willow?" Xander called quietly as he walked through the stacks at the back of the library, "Hey, Will, you here?"

"I'm right here, Xander" the red-head answered as she appeared from behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. He squealed like a girl and jumped several feet in the air from the surprise.

"Next time, a little less with the sneakage, okay, Will?" he told his friend as he attempted to swallow his heart back down to where it ought to be.

"Sorry" she said quietly, trying not to giggle at his girlish reaction, "Did you want something in particular?" she checked as she went back to her task of putting returned books back into their rightful places on the shelves. She had started helping out in the library two weeks okay now, though not really by design. She'd only originally carried a few books from a classroom because she happened to be there when the librarian passed by and she asked for some assistance. Now, Willow found she loved being amongst the various tomes, putting things in a nice neat order. It was very satisfying.

"I kinda had a reason for coming in here, yeah" Xander admitted, but didn't seem ready to explain what that actual reason was.

"Is it book related?" Willow tried.

"Not so much" he shook his head, fiddling with the strap of his book bag across his chest, "It's kinda me related, and also Anya related"

"Oh" the red-head said awkwardly. Though she liked Anya well enough, she wasn't so sure she needed to hear anything from Xander about what he and his girlfriend got up to behind closed doors. She'd born witness to one such display when she accidentally opened one of the closed doors they'd been behind, it wasn't an image she wanted reprinting on her mind!

"See, the thing is, we haven't been together that long but..." Xander's sentence disappeared and then started again, "Thing is I really, really like her, and she seems to really like me, like a whole lot, but I don't know if I can just... y'know with the being together, and she seems like she knows how to..., and I'm not exactly expert-guy with other people in the room, or... Oh merciful Zeus, please tell me you know what I'm trying to say" he begged Willow who looked completely confused.

"Sorry" she shook her head, "I got lost somewhere after the first half a sentence" she admitted.

"Hey guys, what's the what?" Buffy smiled as she rounded the corner of the book shelf and faced her friends, "Why the glum, Xand?" she checked, her own grin faltering.

"He was trying to explain something to me, about him and Anya" Willow explained, "but I don't get it"  
"Okay" she elongated the word as she leant back on the end of the book shelves and looked at her male fiend, "Wanna give it a shot with me?"

"Huh?!" Xander's eyes went terribly wide at the question, and Buffy didn't understand why, but then as yet both she and Willow were unaware as to the subject matter spinning around in their best friends head.

"You wanna try explaining to me what you were explaining to Will?" Buffy said slowly and as if Xander were retarded. He laughed, nervously relieved by her explanation of what she meant, but by this point far too embarrassed to actually ask what he'd come here to ask them about in the first place. He should have known it was a big mistake going to two girls for a talk about sex, but they were his two best friends, he had no-one else to turn to.

"It's okay, I'm good, no big" he said quickly, wishing someone would just change the subject now. Happily Buffy did just that.

"So Will, any luck with your Bikin' Boy last night?" she grinned, until she realised Willow wasn't joining in with the smiling, "Oh, frownage" she said sadly.

"He's just not been around lately" Willow sighed, "I thought he really liked me, but I guess you were right all along. You can't trust people you meet on the Internet"

"Aaw, poor Will" Buffy sympathised, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I know what I said about being careful and all but he did seem like a nice guy"

"Guess it goes to show you don't always know people as well as you think" said Xander, "Appearances can be deceiving"

"Totally" Buffy nodded, "I mean, look at Spike. You'd think he'd be all mean and stuff, but he's totally sweet"

The blonde's two friends shared an uneasy look at that particular comment, and Buffy noticed it too.

"What?" she asked, not getting what their problem was, though really it should've been obvious. Both Willow and Xander had warned her about the badness that could come of her having a crush on her sister's guy, especially when he was so much older than her and not exactly wholesome-looking.

"It's nothing" Willow shook her head, "It's just, this whole Spike thing worries us a little"

"He's older, Buff, and maybe not as nice as he seems, just like Will's online guy" Xander pointed out.

Buffy sighed.

"Really, guys, the worryage is a waste of time" she told them sadly, "I haven't even seen Spike in the whole of the last two weeks, not since that day in the parking lot"

"Maybe it's for the best, sweetie" Willow told her with a sympathetic smile, "Maybe we're both better off without guys, well, except for Xander, of course" she grinned as the boy did the same.

* * *

Spike yawned as he shot out from underneath a car on a trolley, a wrench in one hand and an oily rag in the other.

"Is there anything underneath there that needs fixing at all?" said a voice as he looked up at a figure hovering over him, "Or are you just sleeping when my father pays you to work?"

Spike rolled his eyes as he pulled himself to his feet and shoved past the boy who annoyed him so much.

"If Mr Finn has a problem with my work, he'll be the one to bloody tell me, alright, Riley?" he snapped, immediately regretting it since he knew the great idiot would go rushing to Daddy telling tales that could get him into trouble. Problem was he was tired and in a crappy mood.

In the last two weeks he'd dreamt of Buffy Giles almost every night, and most of those dreams were distinctly R-rated. When he woke in the middle of the night, overly aware of what his subconscious had been doing whilst he slept, there was just no way he could go back into the deep slumber which Faith seemed to be able to manage all bloody night, despite the fact he worked all day and she spent most of her time on the couch in front of the TV!

"Are you listening to me, Walker?!" Riley was yelling when Spike actually tuned back in to the world around him, "I could have you fired faster than you can say 'stuck in the eighties'" he told him, all high and mighty. Spike just rolled his eyes out of view of the boy.

"Yes, sir" he said, sarcasm dripping from the two simple words as he mock saluted at Riley, his hand gesture changing drastically as soon as the boy's back was turned and he walked away, "Bloody ponce" Spike muttered to himself as he wiped his hands on his overalls and closed the hood of the car in front of him.

Checking his watch his realised it was barely mid-afternoon, and many more hours of work lay ahead of him. Unfortunately being alone and in the quiet as he was right now gave him too many chances for his mind to wander onto things he'd really rather it didn't.

Grabbing the radio off the shelf he turned the dial back and forth trying to find something he liked. 'Only Sixteen' by Dr Hook was playing on one station, the next had 'Faith' by George Michael. Not only did Spike hate both those kinds of music, but it seemed as if the radio were possessed and determined to make him think of Buffy and Faith and the awkward mess of feelings he was having with regards to the two of them. Finally he was glad to find that some station or other was having a punk hour, and he slid back under the car, tapping his foot along to the rhythm, as the booming voices of The Sex Pistols filled the garage.

* * *

It was almost four o'clock and Buffy was a little surprised to find her Mom in the kitchen as she came in through the back door.

"Hey sweetie" Joyce smiled, washing her hands and drying them on a dishtowel, "How was school today?"

"Large building, lots of young people, older people trying to teach us stuff, the usual" she smirked as she sat down at one of the stool by the counter.

"Very funny" Joyce rolled her eyes, "but you know that wasn't what I meant"

"School is fine, Mom" Buffy told her with a smile that didn't last long enough for her mother's liking.

"Are you sure, honey?" she checked, as she stood by the counter in front of her daughter, "You don't look so happy"

"I'm okay, really" Buffy sighed, "I guess I... I just miss Faith" she told her, knowing that saying she missed Spike would sound just too weird. In some ways Buffy did miss her sister, so it wasn't a complete lie. Though they often drove each other crazy, both the blonde and brunette had enjoyed spending time together on occasion, just talking about things that their parents wouldn't want to hear about or wouldn't understand.

"I know you do, Buffy, we all do" Joyce smiled sympathetically, "but it's not like she's far away"

"I guess" her daughter sighed, still not looking happy and Joyce had an idea.

"Y'know your father has to work late tonight, I wasn't planning to make dinner until he comes home" she told the young blonde, "How about I drive you over to Faith's and you two can catch up for a couple of hours?" she suggested.

Though she disliked the idea of her younger daughter in that particular neighbourhood, she didn't mind dropping her off at Faith's apartment and picking her up again later. She would come to no harm within the four walls of the brunette's home, she was sure, she had at least that much faith in the girl that bore the name.

"That'd be cool" Buffy tried not to grin too widely as she hopped off her stool and ran for the stairs.

"Where are you going now?" Joyce asked her with a frown.

"To change!" her daughter yelled back as she pelted up the stairs.

Of course her mother didn't understand why she needed a whole different outfit to go visit her own sister, but then she didn't know about Buffy's crush on Faith's latest lover. If she'd known, it's doubtful she would condone this visit she had in fact suggested.

Upstairs, Buffy threw random items of clothing out of her closet and onto her bed. She was going to see Faith, which pleased her, but more importantly she was going to see Spike. As crazy as she knew she was for being so excited over a man she could never really have, she couldn't helped but be thrilled at the prospect of spending just a little time with him, even if all he'd ever see her as was Faith's little sister. Of course she hoped her choice of outfit would get his attention and prove to him she was not just some little kid, if only she could actually figure out which clothes it was she wanted to wear!

_To Be Continued..._


	14. Chapter 14

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 14

"Now I'll call you when it's time for you to come home" Joyce told her daughter as she leapt from the car before it had even fully stopped moving, "but you stay in the apartment til I come to collect you, okay?"

"Okay, Mom" Buffy grinned as she bounded away from the car and disappeared into the building, her mother watching until she was safely through the door. Joyce was already worrying, and regretting her decision to let her younger daughter visit her sister, Faith. The type of people who lived in this kind of neighbourhood, well, as far as Joyce was concerned they were simply not to be trusted. It saddened her that a child of her own had ended up living in such a place, though she had to admit her young man, Spike, didn't seem all bad.

Turning the radio up slighlty and taking a deep breath, she put the car in gear and turned it around to begin the drive back home. She had no need to worry about Buffy, everything would be just fine. Joyce already knew no matter how many times she told herself that she would still spend the next two hours thinking of her two little girls and what awful horrors might befall them.

* * *

Buffy was having a hard time wiping the grin from her face as she hurried up the stairs to the apartment that her sister shared with Spike. Though she was excited to see Faith, it was thoughts of seeing the older girl's boyfriend that had her so worked up. It was two weeks since she'd last laid eyes on her bleached blond Adonis, and since then she'd dreamt about him day and night, planning ways that they might one day be together. Of course, in Buffy's dreams, Faith wasn't a factor because she'd already dumped Spike, or they'd just broken up, or sometimes she even found out about her sister's feelings and handed the man over! Perhaps it was all just foolish fantasy on the part of the sixteen year old, but Buffy didn't care. She was convinced her feelings for Spike ran deep enough to last forever, and that with a little effort she could have him feel the same about her.

Straightening her hair and taking a deep breath she tapped on the door of the apartment and there was some slamming and yelling before Faith finally opened it.

"Hey" Buffy smiled at her sister, "Surprise!"

"Damn, B, what the hell you doin' here?" Faith grinned as she pulled the girl into the apartment and hugged her with one arm, the other engaged in holding up a towel around her body.

"Mom brought me over to visit" Buffy explained as she took in her sister's state of undress, "How come you're always in the shower when I come over?" she frowned slightly and Faith rolled her eyes.

"If I don't shower now then me and Spike will want the bathroom at the same time" she explained, "And as much as I don't object to saving water by sharin', he's been in a weird mood lately. I figured it was best to stay out of his way" she shrugged.

"Did you two have a fight?" Buffy asked innocently as she followed her sister to the bedroom door, standing outside and continung their conversation through the door which was left ajar as Faith finished drying herself off and getting dressed.

"Nah, not so much" her older sister told her, "Spike's just the mood swingin' kind. When he gets in a funk there's only two ways to get him out"

"What are they?" Buffy was interested to know and Faith smirked as she came out of the bedroom, fastening the ties at the back of a strappy top.

"One is ignore him til he gets over it" she explained, "and the other, well, you're too young to get it, kid" Faith said with a filthy expression as she ruffled Buffy's perfectly brushed hair.

"Faith!" she complained as she straightened out the mess he'd made, "How many times do I have to remind you, I am not a kid anymore!" she complained as the sisters sat down together on the couch, the older of the two propping her feet up on the coffee table.

"I guess you're not" she conceded, "It's your birthday sometime soon, right?" she checked as she fought to remember the exact date, but found it impossible.

"Yes, exactly one week on Saturday" Buffy smiled, glad that Faith at least had the right month in mind, "Actually I wanted to talk to you about my party. You're coming, right?" she asked, wondering what reaction she'd get. Faith had two sides, one nicer than the other, and Buffy was never quite sure which to expect.

"A bunch of sixteen year old losers, drinking punch, and playin' pass the parcel?" she snickered at the very idea, before realising she was being bitch and Buffy didn't deserve it, "Hey, there's nothin' I'd rather do" she back-pedalled and the blonde rolled her eyes knowing what crap that was, but still apreciating the gesture.

"You can bring Spike too, it you want" she suggested, glancing away and Faith frowned a little at the way her sister had said that.

"Maybe" she said at length, "I doubt he'll be psyched about the idea but, whatever" she said absently, watching her sisters face carefully.

If she didn't know better she'd say Buffy had a crush on Spike, but surely the little princess wouldn't have any interest in her guy. After all, he was a Brit-Punk badass, not at all like any of the boyband clones on the posters that once adorned the blonde's bedroom walls. Though that phase seemed to have passed, she was still too straight-laced to think a guy like Spike was cool, at least Faith thought so. She was about to make some comment on the subject when the front door swung open and her boyfriend entered the apartment, singing The Sex Pistols version of God Save the Queen.

"Oh, we've got compnay" said Spike when he looked up and saw Buffy on his couch with Faith sprawled in the armchair nearby.

The brunette glanced at her boyfriend and offered a smile before turning her attention back to her sister who by now was staring at the bleached blond, her eyes practically glazed over.

"Hey, Spike" Buffy grinned, "How was your day?"

"Fine, thanks for asking, pet" he said quickly, headed for the bathroom, "Gonna grab a shower"

"Hey, Spike!" Faith called him back before he had a chance to escape, "Buffy came here to invite us to a party"

"'S that right?" he checked, glancing at the blonde who continued to smile sweetly at him.

Spike shifted his eyes away, not wanting to meet her gaze too much, but finding that looking down only made things worse. She had a body to die for it seemed, and whilst he'd noticed before that she had a decent figure it seemed she was dressed just perfectly to show off what she had without being slutty in any way. Shifting his eyes to his girlfriend, Spike realised that was not a skill Faith had ever mastered. She was either in sweats or other baggy clothes, looking like something from the laundry basket, or she was showing everything she had to anybody who cared to look. He liked her for being a woman of extremes, but somehow he liked Buffy better for being just the opposite. He forced his mind to cease wandering then and instead listened to what the blonde on the couch was saying.

"...so it'd be pretty cool if you could both make it" she smiled and Spike glanced at Faith who, out of sight of her half-sister, rolled her eyes.

"Er, 'm sure we can work somethin' out, luv" he told Buffy, "Right now though I ought to get cleaned up" he offered her half a smile before slamming into the bathroom, glad to escape from the horrible situation of standing between two sisters, both of which he wanted, no matter how wrong it was.

* * *

Willow sighed with disappintment as she checked the clock again and realised it was unlikely that Bikin' Boy was going to show up online tonight. For days they'd talked each evening, sometimes longer than others, but every day without fail. Since it was way past ten already, Willow was almost certain he wasn't going to be there and she hated how much that hurt. Buffy and Xander had both warned her about getting mixed up with a guy on the Internet. They thought that Bikin' Boy was probably not the person he pretended to be. She was fairly certain they believed he'd stopped communicating with her because he found an easier target, some girl who would wilingly give her real name, address, and so forth, and offer to meet up sometime, something Willow was not going to do any time soon.

On the other hand of course, Bikin' Boy might be who he said he was, a boy her age who had originally had a genine interest in her, but had just become bored later. Willow couldn't blame her looks, since they'd never exchanged photographs, so her personality and conversation skills must be at fault. The problem with that was, why did it take all this time for the guy to decide she wasn't worth talking to?

As she thought over and over it, Willow found her sadness tunring to anger. A part of her really wanted to give this guy a piece of her mind for treating her the way he had, for cutting her off when they'd just started to become good friends. Of course, it wasn't impossible for her to yell at him, albeit by email. She had his address, just because he hadn't turned up on the Instant Message service, didn't mean she couldn't send him an email telling him exactly what she thought of him. There was no more harm in that than there had been in talking to him before, no matter who he was.

After a further few moments thought, Willow opened up a new email, added Bikin' Boy's address at the top and began writing.

"Dear Bikin' Boy" she read outloud softly to herself, "I'm not really sure where to start with what I want to say, but I think I should warn you that I'm not happy right now" she began, "My friends kept telling me you probably weren't who I thought you were, that you're probably just some pervert or loser playing games with me. I didn't believe that before, and I don't think I believe it now either, but you're still not the person I thought you were" she explained, "If you were the nice person I thought I was talking to then you would be here now talking to me, and yes, I know there might be a perfectly legitimate excuse for you not talking to me for the past couple of weeks. Maybe your grandmother's sick or you have a lot of studying to do or you had to go on vacation suddenly, but would it be so hard for you to tell me that instead of leaving me here wondeirng if I'm not good enough to talk to anymore!" she said, realising how loud she was getting in her reading aloud and quietening herself down again as she continued, "I guess what I really want to say is, I liked you a lot, and I thought you liked me too. Maybe I was wrong, but it would be nice to be told either way. Have the decency I thought you had and tell me what the problem is, then at least you'll be half the person I thought you were"

With a sigh, Willow ended her email, signed it off as NetGirl, and then pressed Send. Switching off her computer, she changed into her pyjamas and got into bed, knowing that no matter how mad she got at her mystery friend on the Internet, she would still dream of him tonight. He was always just a figure though, no face, no defining features, after all she'd never seen him.

* * *

"Wesley, sweetheart, it's time you were asleep!" his mother called to him, having spotted the light coming from under his door.

"Yes, mother" he called back, desperately trying to get to the bottom of the page in his book before he closed it for the night. Putting 'Motorcyle Maintenance for Beginners' on the nightstand he reached to turn out the light, stopping short when a sound emitted from his computer. Quickly and quietly he padded across the room and sat down at his desk, finding he had just now received an email. His eyes went wide when he looked and saw who it was from.

"Willow" he breathed as he opened up the message and read it. He was stunned by the contents of the email, both by how mad she seemed to be at him given her quiet nature, and by the fact she actually seemed to genuinely like him.

Hearing the floorboards creak beyond the door, Wes knew he was about to get a good telling off if his light wasn't out in the next ten seconds. Diving across the room he flipped off the lamp and then hurried back to his desk. The glow from the monitor illuminated his face as he hit Reply and began to type his response to Willow. Though he wasn't ready yet to reveal who he was, he must make her understand that he never meant to abandon her or make her feel unwanted. Stupid jealousy had got in his way, and apparently there was no good reason for it.

By the time he was done explaining and sent the email off it was nearing midnight, and he crawled into his bed with a smile on his face, knowing that tonight he would dream only of Willow, and how wonderful it might be when one day he plucked up the courage to tell her who he really was.

_To Be Continued..._


	15. Chapter 15

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 15

Willow was grinning like an idiot when she arrived at school next morning, and was glad to see Buffy had a similar expression on her face.

"Hey, Will" the blonde smiled, "Wow, that has to be the happiest I've seen you in a week"

"Could be" her friend blushed, "I got an email from Bikin' Boy this morning, well, he wrote it last night right after he got mine but it was there in my inbox when I checked today" she grinned.

"You made the first move, huh?" Buffy asked as they walked along together towards the school building.

"Kind of" Willow nodded, "I just got so mad at him for not being around and, well, I guess I kinda told him off a little bit, and it turns out he does really like me, Buffy"

"Then why so long with the non-talkage" her friend frowned, "if he likes you so much, why hasn't he been around for the past two weeks?"

"That's the really cute and kind of exciting part" she admitted, "He was jealous I liked somebody else. He didn't say exactly who but when he explained it to me, I think maybe it was a misunderstanding, like he saw me talk to a guy at school or something and got the wrong idea..."

"Hang on sec, freeze frame" Buffy stopped walking and waved her hand in a motion that said stop, "He saw you in school? Will, does this guy know you?"  
"Seems that way" Willow smiled uneasily.

She knew her friends weren't comfortable about her talking to some random guy online, and now they knew he'd been watching her, that he had been in the school halls with them, she was pretty sure there was going to be some freaking out going on.

"Wow" was all Buffy said, since she could see how conflicted Willow was over this.

The guy she'd met on the web seemed so genuinely nice and yet everybody knew that appearances can be deceiving, especially on the Internet. There were upsides to the fact this Bikin' Boy person seemed to have seen Willow in the halls of Sunnydale High. It was likely he was a fellow student and relatively normal, maybe just shy like Willow herself was. On the other hand, Buffy knew this person could also be some psycho who stood at the edge of the school grounds with a pair of binoculars watching everything Willow did and writing it down in some freaky psycho guy journal. She shuddered involuntarily at that thought, and was glad she didn't have to say anything more to her friend on the topic as Xander bounded over to join them.

"If it isn't my two best friends in the whole wide world" he grinned, putting an arm around each of them.

"What do you want, Xand?" Buffy asked, rolling her eyes.

As much as she knew he meant what he said about them being best friends he only said it that way, and with such enthusiasm when he wanted or needed a favour.

"I'm shocked and hurt, Buff, that you would accuse me of..." he began, pausing when he realised he was rumbled, "Yeah, okay" he sighed, "So I had a little problem with homework, namely math"

"What part did you have the problem with?" Willow asked him as the three headed towards the library.

"Pretty much the math" he admitted, making Buffy giggle. He really was silly sometimes, but she did love her two best friends.

"Ooh, by the way you guys" she said suddenly as they sat down at the study table in the library, "I kinda started planning this years Buffy birthday bash" she smiled, "With everything happening with Faith and all, it kinda got shifted to the back burner, but it's not like it's gonna take major organisation so it'll be all good, so long as my two best friends are there"

"Oh yeah, your birthday" Xander grinned, "That's soon-ish, right?"

"Yes" Buffy rolled her eyes, "Soon-ish as in one week from Saturday, which works out pretty much perfectly for a party"

"Hey, any night is perfect for a party" Xander told her, "And I so channelled your sister just then" he told Buffy as he shuddered at the thought, and Willow made face at the very idea.

"Is Faith going to come to your party?" she asked curiously. She seriously disliked Buffy's half-sister and would prefer not to share oxygen with her, but at the same time she knew how hurt her friend would be if Faith didn't show.

"Hopefully" Buffy nodded, "I went over to the apartment last night, Spike said the two of them would try to work something out"

"You invited Spike too?" the red-head's eyes went a little wide at that, "He wants to come to a seventeen year old's birthday party?"

"Sure, why not?" Buffy frowned, "It's not like he's old enough to be my father or anything, he's only a few years older"  
"And by a few you mean...?" Xander checked, not given any hope at all by the way the blonde's eyes shifted to her feet.

"He's kind of Faith's age... plus a little bit" she said awkwardly before giving in and just saying it, "Okay so he's twenty four, what's the big deal? It's my sister he's dating, not me" she said sulkily, as if she wished that weren't true. Of course she did wish that. She wished all her dreams would come true and that Spike could be her own. However stupid that might seem, it was what she really wanted more than anything else in the world.

"So, math" Willow broke the silence eventually as she began to go through last nights homework with Xander and Buffy who it seemed had only done half the task herself. It didn't help that her mind continued to wander onto other topics, namely her birthday party, and more importantly, Spike.

* * *

"Hey, what is up with you?" Faith asked as she followed Spike from the bedroom to the kitchen, tying his robe around herself. He didn't respond at first, just finished fastening his jeans, the only thing he was wearing, before setting about making coffee and breakfast. Unfortunately it was quite obvious Faith wasn't going to let this go any time soon.

"I just... I don't feel like it" he said, keeping his back to her as she laughed out loud.

"A guy that doesn't feel like having sex?" she chuckled, "Yeah, that's a good one. Tell me another, maybe a 'knock, knock' one this time" she said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"I'm gonna be late for work, I can't afford to do that too often" Spike told her, "'Specially not with that snot-faced Finn Junior watchin' my every soddin' move"

"There's more to it than that" Faith shook her head, "Not that I care about the mood swings and the door slammin', I ain't in this for the hearts and flowers deal, you know that" she shrugged, "but if you're bored of our little arrangement here you tell me now, I'll find someplace else to crash, we part on good terms, okay?"

Spike leant forward on the counter top, and took a breath. He didn't want to kick Faith out, he didn't mind having her around at all, and he certainly didn't object to her sister visiting whenever she liked. He didn't want to see anybody hurt in this and for all her attitude he was pretty certain Faith would be just a little bit more broken if he dumped on her now.

"'M sorry, baby" he said as he turned towards her and sighed, "Works gettin' to me, and I've just not been feelin' so great lately. Shouldn't take it out on you, luv, not when you're tryin' to be nice to me" he apologised and she half-smiled.

"Hey, it's five by five" she assured him, "I ain't gonna cry over you"

"Should think not, pet" he said with a smirk, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he walked by her and went into the bathroom.

Faith watched him go and as the door clicked shut behind him she let the smile slide from her face. There was something more than he was telling her going on here. She didn't care so much if he had someone else to get groiny with, but she didn't even think it was as simple as that. A part of her was still wondering if this all had something to do with Buffy, but surely that was just crazy...

* * *

Spike fought to keep his mind on his work today, but found it was near impossible. Though Buffy haunted his dreams and made things awkward between him and Faith, for the most part he'd managed to put the little blonde to one side in his mind these last couple of weeks. She hadn't been around, so it was easier to ignore the fact she even existed, until last night of course.

So it seemed her birthday was coming up. Little Buffy Giles was going to be seventeen. God, now he felt even worse having been reminded of her young age. A seven year age gap meant very little of course amongst adults. If they were both ten years older, maybe even five it wouldn't be half such a big deal that he liked her, but at seventeen and twenty four, well, her parents would flip for one thing. It was clear they didn't really approve of Faith dating a bloke like him, but their darling princess Buffy... Poor Giles would blow a gasket, and Joyce would probably drop down in a dead faint, Spike reckoned.

He was still thinking about the situation as he clocked off for lunch and headed towards the coffee shop to get something to eat. On his way he passed by the Magic Box, as he always did. The front window only caught his attention at first because there was an ad posted in it. Seemed the little shop had changed owners and the latest manager was looking for assistants. Even Faithie could manage a job like that, Spike thought as he read the details and planned to tell the woman who shared his bed and apartment all about it when he got home tonight.

Spike was about to walk away from the shop when something sparkling in the window caught his eye. Since it was called the Magic Box, the little store was a haven for wannabe witches and gothic types. Spike didn't believe for one moment that anything in the shop was the least bit magical but the trinkets and baubles on display were pretty enough.

In the front of the window display was a row of pendants, twelve in all, each with a different coloured stone in the centre of an ornate silver setting. A sign above said they were some sort of Zen item, meant to bring peace and happiness to the wearer, provided of course they purchased the correct one with their own birthstone in it.

Though Spike doubted the piece of jewellery would do any good to a persons health or happiness, he couldn't help but think how much Buffy might like one for her birthday. If he was going to show his face at her party next Saturday, and it was likely Faith would drag him along, he didn't ought to show up empty handed. In all honesty, he wanted to get her a gift, though he knew it was insane. Of course, Faithie would wonder why her bloke was getting her half-sister something so special.

"All hell'd break loose" he muttered to himself as he shook his head and walked away from the store.

In the week that followed, Spike passed by the Magic Box another six times, and on the Thursday before Buffy's birthday he actually went inside and purchased the pretty silver necklace with her birthstone set it in.

_To Be Continued..._


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N : We're on the road to much Spuffy goodness, I swear. Big thanx to those that are sticking with this story, you all rock!**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 16

"Hey guys!" Buffy was grinning like an idiot as she opened the front door to Willow and Xander, hugging them both, and thanking them profusely as they wished her a Happy Birthday and handed over the gifts they'd brought.

Everybody else would give the Birthday girl her presents and cards at the party but her best friends couldn't wait til then and had arrived early at the house in Revello Drive.

"Oh my God" Buffy gasped as she sat between her friends on the couch and unwrapped the gift from Willow, a beautiful red top with spaghetti straps and a silver glitter heart on the front, "Will, it's gorgeous"

"I just saw it and thought of you" the red-head shrugged, glad her best friend was so pleased with the gift. The two girls hugged and then Buffy turned her attention to Xander and his present.

"Anya helped me pick it out" he admitted as the blonde pulled off the glitzy paper to reveal and bottle of semi-expensive perfume, "I hope you like it" he said nervously, grinning when Buffy hugged and thanked him profusely, promising him it was a wonderful gift and she loved it.

"Buffy, we're leaving in ten minutes" Joyce told her daughter as she appeared in the doorway, "Can't keep your guests waiting" she smiled before disappearing again.

"It's so cool that your Dad got the Bronze for your party" Willow enthused.

"Yeah, and a band too" Xander added excitedly, "Y'know they say Dingoes Ate My Baby could be the next big thing, and how cool would that be? One day you can say hey, see those guys on MTV, they played at my birthday party in High School"

"Could happen" Willow nodded in agreement, although the look on Buffy's face proved she was a little dubious about that.

"It was very cool that Dad called in that favour with the guy that owns the Bronze" the blonde nodded, "And hey, Will, I know I said it a bajillion times already, but you talking to that guy, Oz, and getting the Dingoes to play was just so great, thank you"

"It was nothing" the red-head coloured, "They weren't busy and it isn't as if your parents aren't paying them"

"I think you should be careful of that Oz guy" Xander warned his friend, "Rocker guys might seem cool but they're heart breakers y'know, every single one"

"Way to generalise, Xand" Buffy laughed, "You can't say every single rock-loving type person is a bad guy"

"Or that every single person on the Internet is a bad guy" Willow threw in, though Buffy wasn't so fast to back her up on that. She was still a little concerned about Will's friendship with this stranger. In all honesty she'd rather her get closer to Oz if she was to have a boyfriend at all, at least they knew something solid about him. Buffy could see Xander was about to dive in with a similar comment and she just couldn't help but selfishly change the subject, after all it was her birthday, she didn't want anything spoiling it.

"So Xand, how are things with you and Anya?" she asked cheerfully, and his mind shifted onto the happier topic of his finally having a girlfriend.

"Things are good" he nodded, "She was kind of excited that you invited her to the party. I don't think she was too popular at her old school"

"Wow, really?" Buffy faked incredulity, after all as nice as Anya could be sometimes, she was also extremely blunt and that didn't usually go over well with others. Buffy should know, her sister possessed a similar skill, and her honesty was not always appreciated.

* * *

"You're being a pain in the ass and I wanna know why!" Faith yelled at her boyfriend as he rooted around in the refrigerator, locating a beer and slamming the door shut.

"I'm not doing anything, you silly bint" Spike sighed as he moved to push past her, but she wouldn't let him and he almost spilt the now open bottle of beer in his hand.

"Yeah, well, maybe that's the problem here" she snapped, "We ain't got down and dirty in too long, Spike. Half the time you won't even look at me, and when I call you on it you tell me I'm goin' crazy or somethin'"

"Is all this about bloody sex?" he checked, shaking his head, "Soddin' hell, luv, thought it was us blokes who were meant to be obsessed with shagging"

"I ain't obsessed" Faith denied it hotly, "I'm just sayin' you got a problem with us being a thing, I can find somewhere else to hang my hat, y'know?"

"You know I don't want that" he sighed, looking away, knowing what this was really about and unable to tell her, the necklace he'd bought for Buffy's birthday burning a hole in his pocket as his eyes flitted to the clock on the wall. The party would be starting in just a few minutes.

"If it ain't me you got a problem with, then what the frickin' hell is up with you, man?" she demanded to know, half afraid of the answer. Faith still suspected her sister had something to do with this situation, and not just today's argument either. Though this had all started with Spike being seemingly adamant they must attend the blonde's birthday bash, there were too many times when Faith had argued with her man this past week or too, it was getting worse than her parents at home.

"There is no problem, pet" the bleached blond told her, hand going to the bridge of his nose as if he was pained by this whole talk, "Other than work pissing me off and you prattling on like a bleedin' woman possessed!" he complained as he finally got by her and dropped down onto the couch, taking a long drink from his beer.

"Screw you!" she yelled, a string of curse words following as she slammed into the bedroom with such a force the walls shook and the neighbours downstairs thumped on their ceiling in protest at the noise.

Spike pointlessly flipped them off, stamping his booted foot in response. All this to-ing and fro-ng was giving him a bloody headache, the last thing he needed was Faith banging all the doors off their hinges and the neighbours running round to complain about it! He sighed, leaning his head back over the top of the couch and closing his eyes.

In a perfect world, he and Faith would go out tonight, get a little drunk, have some fun, come back home and shag til dawn. Of course there was another universe he dreamed of, one where he was the innocent teen he once was. In that world he met Buffy instead of Drusilla. They were the same age at the same time and they fell in love and lived happily ever after.

Spike laughed painfully as he brought himself back to the real world, opening his eyes and swigging at his beer once again. Reality was very different from either of those dreams, and even the simple plan he'd had of going to Buffy's party tonight with Faith and handing over the gift he'd bought seemed to have been shattered. If he went alone Faithie would get damn suspicious, and it seemed unlikely that she'd be going herself. If the miracle happened and she decided to go, in was unlikely now that she'd be wanting him to go with her.

Sure enough a few moments later Faith came slamming back out of the bedroom, clad in a revealing little black dress, glittery make-up haphazardly thrown on and her hair shook out.

"So, you'll be going to this party after all then, I s'pose?" Spike smirked annoyingly.

"Anything to get out of your face" she told him, venom edging her words as she threw her lip gloss, keys, and so forth on top of a half bottle of vodka in her purse, "At least somebody'll be pleased to see me at this party" she said, slamming out of the front door, causing the neighbours to protest from both downstairs and upstairs his time.

Spike closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath that in reality did no good at all. His beer bottle went sailing into the wall, smashing into tiny shards and splattering the already damaged paintwork with it's liquid contents.

"Bugger this" he cursed, hating that tonight, like so many other days and nights lately, had gone so very wrong.

* * *

"Thanks, Anya, that's... great" Buffy smiled awkwardly as she gave the girl a brief hug, the gift she was thanking her for clutched in her hand.

"I just noticed in the locker room that you didn't seem to have anything that would attract a man or keep him should you get one" Anya explained honest and blunt as always, as Buffy attempted to hide the black lacy underwear set underneath some other gifts so that her parents wouldn't see it and freak, whilst at the same time not too obviously hiding it in case she offended Xander's latest flame.

"That was... thoughtful, and just great" Buffy lied, unable to make eye contact with the embarrassed Xander or shocked Willow.

Soon after the couple went of to dance and the red-head tried to change the subject.

"So Buffy, you having fun?" she checked.

"Big fun" her friend assured her, "Major funnage is being had" she said, eyes shifting to the door as more guests arrived. Her face fell a little when she noticed one partilcuar person hadn't shown up yet.

"Faith's kind of a no show so far, huh?" Willow sympathised. Though she didn't like the older girl at all, she knew what it meant to Buffy to have her show up tonight.

"I guess" she sighed, "but hey, there's plenty of time. Maybe they're just running late, y'know her and Spike"

"Sweetie" her friend sighed, "You are just hoping Faith will show, right? I mean, the whole crush on Spike thing, that's not for real?"

"Crush on Spike?" she laughed, but it was clearly fake and she gave up when she realised she wasn't fooling anyone, "I can't help it, Will. He's just so... it's not just that he's gorgeous, though he so obviously is, with the eyes, and the hair, and the cheekbones, and the muscles, and..."

"Yeah, Buff, I get it, he's dreamy-looking" Willow nodded as she felt she was losing her best friend to the land of Spike-shaped hotness.

"It's not just all that" the blonde said eventually, "He's sweet, and kind, and when he looks at me sometimes it's like he sees something in me, and I see something in him. I can't even describe it, I just, well, it's totally of the weird but I almost feel like I'm falling in love with him"

Willow's eyes were right back to wide as dinner plates by now, but she had no time to make comment as Faith made her presence known.

"Yo, B!" she called, whistling overly loudly and laughing as she stumbled over to her sister and put an arm around her shoulders, "How's it goin', sis?" she asked her, slurring slightly, "You havin' a good time?"

"Sure, it's a party, good times for all" Buffy replied uncertainly, "Are you okay, Faith?"

"Never better" her half sister assured her, pushing an envelope into her hand, "Happy Birthday, B"

Buffy thanked Faith and opened the card which had a cartoon picture on it and a very filthy joke too. Inside her sister had merely scrawled the word love and her name. There was no present, the card had clearly been done last minute and in a hurry since the writing was not neat but slightly smudged where the ink had not yet had time to dry.

"I kinda had a cash flow sitch" Faith said guiltily as she leant back on the bar that tonight was selling soft drinks only, "The gift thing didn't happen"

"No big" Buffy smiled, though she wasn't all that impressed, only half of that feeling was because of the lack of present, "You didn't bring Spike?" she said, casually as she could manage. Faith only laughed her dirty laugh, producing a half-bottle of vodka, her second now, and taking a long drink.

"We ain't married, B" she told her naive little sister, "Spike's probably out bangin' every whore from here to the coast by now, and me, I'm just five by five" she shrugged.

Buffy hated to hear her sister talk like this, about anybody, nevermind the man she felt she could very easily be falling in love with. Willow was stunned by what was happening and felt awful for her friend. She was about to suggest they go greet the other guests and leave Faith alone when Joyce and Giles spotted the older girls presence and came over.

"Faith" her mother snapped, "Please tell me you're not drunk" she said, though she was fairly certain she wasn't going to get the answer she'd like.

"Fine" Faith shrugged, "I ain't drunk" she lied blatantly knocking back another gulp of vodka. Giles ripped the bottle from her hands.

"This is unacceptable" he told her sternly, causing Faith's anger to rise.

She made a grab for the bottle, screaming obscenities about her step-father. Their struggle over the bottle resulted in the contents flying out all over Buffy, ruining the birthday girl's specially bought outfit. The music stopped as the Dingoes noticed what was happening and that their audience were all watching the family fight rather than them.

As Faith raged on and Joyce and Giles alternately yelled back at her and tried to calm her, none of them even noticed Buffy's tears. Willow was the only one that called after the blonde as she ran through the crowd of her friends and acquaintances, out of the door of the club and into the night. Her birthday was ruined and it was Faith's fault. She hated her for this.

* * *

Spike had been reaching into the refrigerator for a second beer, contemplating the idea of getting completely smashed out of his brains when he stopped. The weight of the box in his pocket seemed to become more prominent, and his hand went subconsciously to it.

It had cost a pretty penny, seemed a shame to waste the money by not giving the gift to it's recipient, and yet Spike knew going to Buffy's party was a bad idea. Faith would not be impressed and he knew he really shouldn't enoucraged the newly seventeen year old to think that anything was ever going to happen between them, it was impossible.

Still, there was nothing to stop the gift getting to the rightful person. Nobody needed to know where it had come from, if he just left it in the mailbox or on her front porch. Before he had a chance to talk himself out of his plan, Spike put the beer back in the fridge, grabbed up his keys and pulled on his coat as he flew out of the front door headed for Buffy's house.

Buffy's legs couldn't sustain the full-pelt run she'd started at the Bronze and now she was walking with her head down, tears streaming down her face by the time she turned into Revello Drive. She flinched away from the bright lights of a car coming in the opposite direction into the road, hurrying up a little towards her house. She got the surprise of her life when she heard her name called in a familiar voice.

"Buffy?" Spike tried again as he pulled the DeSoto up at the kerb and stared out the open side window at the girl.

"Hi" she said shakily, trying desperately not to cry anymore but finding it impossible. Spike turned off the engine and got out of the car, worry creasing his brow.

"What the bloody hell's happened, luv?" he asked as he walked towards her.

Immediately she flew at him, burying her face in his chest, glad to feel his arms wrap around her shaking form. She'd explain soon enough, right now she just wanted to be held and comforted by this man, the man of her dreams.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N : It's been a long time coming, but finally it's here; a whole chapter of pure Buffy and Spike interaction, and this is where it starts to get interesting...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 17

"Buffy, luv, what's happened to you?" Spike asked her worriedly as he held her body tight to his and she clung onto him like a drowning person would cling to a rock, "Sweetheart, you have to tell me if somebody hurt you or..."

"No" she mumbled against his chest, "It's nothing like that" she assured him, though the tears were not ready to stop yet and she was unwilling to leave his embrace. She couldn't enjoy this quite as much as she'd like to right now, given how upset she was, and Spike found he suffered similarly. As much as he'd dreamt of getting close to this girl, he was far too worried about her in this moment to be focusing on how good it really felt to hold her.

"Come on, pet" he said softly, hand rubbing her back soothingly, "Ssh now, no more tears"

"I'm sorry" she sniffed, finally calming down and pulling away from him slightly, "I just needed... I'm sorry" she said awkwardly, looking away.

Spike's fingers under her chin turned her back to face him and Buffy swallowed hard as he gazed down into her eyes.

"Bloody sure you've got nothin' to be sorry for, luv" he told her, glad to see her smile a little at his words.

"Thank you" she said so softly he barely heard her, though neither of them were sure exactly what she was thanking him for. Perhaps for saying nice things to her, holding her when she was upset, or just happening to be here when she needed someone.

"Reckon we ought to get you inside, pet" he said at length, shaking his head to clear the pretty mist that had settled there. That fairytale picture where things ended happily ever after for him and Buffy had to be dislodged, it was never going to happen.

"I can't actually get inside" she admitted, glancing over at her home, "I left the Bronze so fast, I don't have my purse with my key in it" she told him with a slight shake of her head, eyes flitting up to meet his once again and causing all kinds of feelings to course through both of them, as they stood still wrapped in each others arms, lit only by the nearby streetlight.

"Right then" Spike nodded, wondering where they went from here. He could hardly offer to take her back to the apartment. He didn't even know what had happened yet, could be Faith would show up and that couldn't end well. Plus her parents might be headed home after her, and they'd be mad, upset, freaked out, or a mixture of all three if they found she was gone.

"I'd say we could sit in my car but..." he said awkwardly, "Well, I was just thinking if the parents were likely to see us, might not sit to well with Mum and Dad, you bein' in a strange bloke's vehicle"

"You're not strange" Buffy told him with a look, "My parents know you, they met you"

"Just cos they met me doesn't mean they know me" Spike told her, his meaning not lost on her as he stared down on her with a serious expression, "No reason I should be trusted either"

Buffy looked up at him, wide innocent eyes he could drown in, she had.

"I would trust you with my life" she said solemnly, so sincere he couldn't breathe. She meant that, every word and said it with such force it almost overwhelmed him. When he snapped back to reality a moment later, he forced himself to let go of her and back up a step before he did something truly stupid.

"Yeah, well" he said, backing off, running a shaky hand through his bleached blond hair, "Shouldn't trust fellas you don't know too well, luv. Might not turn out to be what they seem"

Buffy didn't understand why he was suddenly talking like that or backing off. Still, she wasn't so much offended as flattered. Clearly he had trouble taking such a compliment from her, and that thrilled her. If he didn't care for her at all, her words would have little or no affect on him. As it was he seemed very much affected by what she'd said and done so far tonight.

"I guess I'll just sit on the porch and wait til my parents get home" she said, tilting her head towards the house, hoping he'd take the hint and follow as she turned slightly as if to walk away.

"Want some company then?" Spike asked her and Buffy's heart skipped a beat as she turned back to look at him, "Can't rightly leave a young lady alone in the dark, now can I?" he said with a look as he followed her, "Right load of creeps and weirdos you get out here of a night" he muttered, and Buffy tried to hide a smile as they both went through the front gate, down the path to her house and sat down side by side on the porch steps.

They remained in silence for a couple of long minutes, neither really sure what to say for the best. Thoughts that they could never imagine sharing had plagued them for days and weeks, making any kind of conversation difficult. They both had action rather then words on their mind, and yet neither would act on it, they couldn't.

"So" Spike said eventually, "You gonna tell me why you come running back from your hang-out in tears?" he asked.

Buffy looked away, not happy to be reminded of her earlier upset. The alcohol her sister had spilt had soaked into her clothes, and whilst the fabric was probably ruined, the stain couldn't be noticed on the black surface. The stain on her party, on her special night, however, could not be removed and was all too plain.

"Come on luv, tell old Spike what the trouble is" he urged her, shoving her shoulder gently, trying to be friendly without be overly much, "Don't tell me, you took 'It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To' a bit too literal, is that right?" he smirked, and Buffy found it hard to supress a grin at his lame joke.

"There was an argument" she sighed, "When Faith showed up"

"Ah" Spike looked awkward, "Reckon that could be my fault then" he admitted.

Buffy looked confused.

"You told Faith to show up drunk at my party, argue with my parents, and throw vodka on my new dress?" she asked with a quizzical look, Spike shook his head.

"Course I bloody didn't" he rolled his eyes, "But, we had a fight, she got mad and slammed out of the flat, hell-bent on havin' a party" he sighed, "I'm sorry she spoilt your night pet, and your dress"

"It's okay" she shrugged, though she didn't really mean it, "I'm kinda used to Faith wrecking stuff, she does it a lot"

"Fun of it is, most of the time, I don't think she even means to do it" Spike told her, staring off into the distance and looking thoughtful, "She gets so bloody angry at everything, the world in general I s'pose but it feels like me a lot lately" he sighed, "I know she's had it rough, I can soddin' relate but..." he stopped short when he realised what he was saying and who he was saying it to. When he glanced at Buffy he found she was just staring back at him, chin resting on her hand and elbows on her knees, looking at him like he was some sort of hero.

"But, what?" she asked, when he didn't go on.

"Damned if I bloody know now" he smirked, when he realised he couldn't even remember the beginning of the sentence so he stood little chance of figuring out what the end was supposed to be.

Buffy smiled at that, sniffing a little as she wiped the ruined make-up and half-dried tears from her face with the palms of her hands.

"I must look awful" she said, more to herself than to Spike, she certainly hadn't been fishing for compliments.

"You look beautiful, pet" he told her, almost functioning on automatic and regretting the words as soon as they'd left his mouth, despite the fact he believed them completely, "Bet that party frock was even prettier before the alcohol got thrown" he smirked and Buffy nodded her head.

"It was" she agreed, "You would've seen it, looking all clean and new and pretty, if you'd've shown up at my party" she told him, almost accusingly, and Spike hung his head. He couldn't tell her the real reasons why he hadn't shown up, things would get too complicated. As he put his hands back onto the step behind him, shifting his body weight, the box in his pocket moved.

"Might not have made it to the shindig" he smirked as his hand moved inside his coat and out again, "but... I did get you this" he told her as he held out the badly wrapped jewellery box.

"You got me a gift?" Buffy was a little stunned as she observed the box in his hand, almost afraid to take it in case it was all a joke and he'd snatch it back and laugh, saying how stupid she was to believe he'd buy her a gift.

"Well it is your Birthday, right?" he said giving her a look, eyebrow raised as he waited for her to take the gift from his hand.

She had no idea how awkward she was making him feel right now, it was bad enough he'd bought a semi-expensive piece of jewellery for his current tumble's much more innocent little sister, especially given the indecent thoughts he'd been having about her lately, but now she was looking all sweet and cute and embarrassed about it and that only made it worse.

"Thank you" she said eventually, taking the box from him, her fingers brushing against his as she did so, sending a torrent of tiny electric pulses up her arm.

"You're welcome, pet" he said softly as he watched her tear off the paper and carefully open the box inside.

"Oh my God" she gasped at the sight of the beautiful silver pendant and chain, with an amethyst set into the centre of the ornate design, "Spike, it's beautiful" she enthused, stunned by the gift. After all, jewellery wasn't a cheap thing to buy and not usually purchased for just anybody, only family, close friends, or lovers...

"Bloody glad you like it" he told her, "Had a bit of a worry that you wouldn't to be honest. Too many women are too fussy about their trinkets"

"Me too" she admitted, "But this is gorgeous, honestly, Spike, I love it" she promised him, as she pulled the necklace from the box and held it out to him, "Would you...?" she said a little awkwardly and with a nod he took it from her. Buffy turned her back to him and pulled her hair up off her neck. Spike leaned in incredibly close to put the chain around her neck and found he was all thumbs as he fumbled with the tiny clasp at the back.

"All done" he said eventually, practically whispering in her ear and Buffy shivered in the best way as his hand brushed over her shoulder when she moved to turn back.

"Thank you" she said again as they faced each other on the step, "It's the best gift I got all day"

"Don't be daft" he rolled his eyes, looking away. He hated she was making him feel so uncomfortable and like his old self, the bloke he'd been before others, mainly Drusilla, taught him that the world was a cruel hard place where nobody could be trusted.

"I'm serious" Buffy assured him, looking into his eyes, "Nobody ever bought me anything like this, no guy ever liked me enough..."

"Bollocks, luv" Spike told her, "I guarantee there's a hundred fellas probably wanted to buy you jewels and what-not, probably actually bought them too, then never had the nerve to face you with them"

"Am I that scary?" she laughed lightly, knowing that wasn't exactly what he meant but finding it amusing that it seemed to be what he was implying.

When he glanced away she was a little worried that she was wrong and he really had meant that, til he looked back at her with such intensity in his eyes she couldn't breathe.

"'S bloody terrifyin', falling for a girl like you" he said softly, "Wish I could stop it but I don't know how" he admitted, knowing it was pointless lying anymore and aching to kiss her by now. It was killing him keeping his distance, she looked so perfect sitting there beside him, lit by the porch light and the slight silver glint of the moon.

Buffy had a hundred and one things she might've said but none seemed right and her vocal chords seemed to have frozen up along with a large portion of her brain. It wasn't really surprising to her, after all hadn't the man she'd been dreaming of for weeks just told her he was falling for her?

Not knowing what else to say or do, the pair leaned in closer to each other and Spike made the final move, sliding his hand behind Buffy's head and pulling her to him for a kiss. On so many levels this was wrong and yet somehow it felt so very right.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N : Apologies for the massive delay in updating. First came a general bout of writer's block, then I was busy, then I got sick, now we're back to the busy but still, thankfully I managed to get some writing and posting of fic done!  
****Here's the next chapter, and it's still the night of Buffy's Birthday...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 18

"What are we doing?" Buffy gasped as she and Spike were forced apart to breathe. His hand behind her head kept her close, and she didn't mind at all.

"What we've been wanting to do for a bloody long time?" he suggested, eyes boring into her own.

"Oh yeah" she agreed as they fell into each others embrace once again.

Faith, Buffy's parents, the age difference between the two of them was all forgotten as Buffy and Spike got lost in each other and the feelings that erupted between them. For so long they'd both fought what they really felt for each other. The discovery that the other really did feel the same and was willing to admit it was insane, wonderful, and petrifying all at the same time. When the need to breathe overtook them again and they were forced apart, Buffy laughed.

"This is crazy" she giggled, "It's like a dream or something"

"Got that right, pet" Spike agreed with a smile, "Although... gotta wake up soon" he said regretfully, and Buffy glanced away as she realised how right he was. Reality rushed back into the scene, like an inverted vacuum. The world around them came back into focus and the beautiful feeling of being lost in happiness faded away.

"Life isn't a fairytale" she sighed, glancing over at Spike with a sad smile on her lips as they both sat up straight again, "It's what Faith used to tell me all the time, when I was wishing I was some princess from a Disney movie or something, and she was already picking up guys and starting fights"

"Sounds like her" Spike nodded slowly, hating that their brief moment of passion was over and that he was forced to think of it as a crime once again. He was cheating on Faith, okay so they weren't an exclusive couple and neither of them would be overly surprised or upset to learn the other had slept with someone else, but this was different. Yes, it was only a kiss, but with her half-sister? Faith would go apoplectic and in all honesty, Spike couldn't blame her. The other factor was Buffy's age. She was only just seventeen today, and he was seven years her senior. Even today's society would have trouble accepting that, especially given her overly abundant innocence and his near-scandalous reputation where both women and violence were concerned.

"Spike, I..." Buffy stopped short when she caught sight of headlights headed towards them, "Oh my God!" she gasped, standing up fast and almost falling straight back down as blood rushed to her head and made her dizzy, some of which she was sure was an after-effect of kissing Spike.

"Looks like the parents are home then" he said, getting to his feet, "Might be best if I wasn't here when..."

"Go!" Buffy urged him with a nod and Spike dashed across the front yard, over the fence and the next. He passed out through the front gate of the house two doors down and headed for the corner of the street where he'd left his car, long before Joyce and Giles ever made it to their front porch, where Buffy waited for them.

"Oh honey" her mother was obviously close to tears herself as she reached for her baby and hugged her tight, "We were so worried!"

"Hey Mom" she greeted her, glad to be held by her mother after the ups and downs of the night, "I'm so sorry I ran away like a baby" she apologised.

"It was somewhat childish, Buffy" Giles agreed, "but I must admit, I do see why you were so upset" he admitted, "We are terribly sorry, my dear, we should not have allowed your sister to, to..."

"Dad" the blonde interrupted, going over to him, "It's okay" she smiled, "It's not your fault that Faith got all drunk and angry at my party. You and Mom made today as special as you could and it's been great" she told him, "I love you guys" she said as she hugged them in turn and they smiled both at their daughter and each other.

"We love you too, sweetheart" Joyce assured her, "Always"

"It's all that matters" Buffy shrugged, as the front door was unlocked and they finally all went inside, "I'm going to go to bed now, it's been a long day" she said as she hurried up the stairs, unable to keep the grin off her face that Spike had previously caused. Obviously she felt bad for what she'd done in some ways. She'd betrayed her sister by kissing Spike, and that was something to be ashamed of. On the other hand, she couldn't help but think there was some poetic justice in what she'd done. After all, Faith hadn't cared enough about her not to ruin her party by getting drunk and out of control. If she was going to wreck her evening that way, why shouldn't Buffy make out with Spike if she wanted to? Of course that wasn't why he'd done it. Revenge had been far from Buffy's mind as she'd sat on the front porch with her bleached blond hero-guy that she was pretty sure she'd somehow fallen in love with, though she wasn't sure how it had happened. Her fingers went to her throat and touched on the necklace Spike had given her. He was probably the sweetest, nicest, most gorgeous guy she'd ever known, and oh my God he was a good kisser too! Still, Buffy was having trouble seeing how this situation with her and Spike could ever work out, especially with Faith stuck in the middle of it all, and the fact that they were so far apart in age.

For right now, Buffy decided she wouldn't dwell on what was to come. Instead she planned to concentrate on the here and now, the events of the past hour alone. Spike had made her feel a hundred different wonderful things and all by just kissing her. Fantasising about what else could happen between them made her head spin and she fell asleep, content to dream of nothing but Spike.

* * *

"I know she said it's fine, Rupert, but we really have to do something about Faith" Joyce told him as they stood in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate and talking over the events of the evening before they went to bed, "It's not just how she ruined Buffy's party, it's everything"

"Really, Joyce, I'm at the end of my tether with the girl" her husband sighed, "As much as I would like to say there is an easy solution to all this, I cannot find one" he explained, "It seems to me that Faith will simply not be happy until she has upset and hurt everybody as much as she feels she herself has been hurt"

"I just don't know where all her anger comes from" Joyce shook her head, "I know her father wasn't perfect, I know _I'm_ not perfect, but I love her" she sighed, "She's my baby girl, just like Buffy, and yet Faith finds it so hard to accept"

"I sometimes wonder if my presence in her life caused her to be so unruly" Giles said guiltily, "As much as I tell myself it is a ridiculous suggestion, the idea has crossed my mind on more than one occasion"

"Oh no, Rupert, that's ridiculous" his wife assured him, "Faith just needs to realise that sometimes when people are trying to be kind to her she needs to accept it and be grateful for it, instead of pushing everybody away and being so nasty"

"Perhaps" Giles nodded, finding it best to agree with Joyce on matters concerning Faith, after all he was patently aware she was not his biological daughter and therefore had no real right to make judgements of her, "I did think things between her and Buffy were such that she wouldn't create such a spectacle at her birthday party" he decided to mention, after all it wasn't as if he were saying anything against his step-daughter, only questioning what might have gone wrong in the relationship between herself and his own little girl.

"Maybe something's changed" Joyce frowned slightly before a yawn drowned out anything else she might've thought or said, she was suddenly extremely tired.

"Well, we'll talk about it in the morning" Giles smiled, taking her now empty mug from her hands and placing it in the sink with his own, "Time for bed, I think" he said, putting his arm around his wife and kissing her temple as they headed for the stairs.

* * *

"Happy Birthday to... her!" Faith sang drunkenly to herself as she stumbled up the front steps to the apartment block. She was so completely marinated in alcohol it made Spike sick to see her as he watched from the shadows. He'd planned to get back to the apartment and go to bed, feign sleep when he heard Faith come home and not mention anything that had happened tonight. Unfortunately he'd arrived back at the apartment block just in time to see his room-mate and lover come staggering home herself, a mostly empty half bottle of gin in her hand, that was clearly not her first of the night.

As much as he hated to see a woman in this state, especially one who was usually so strong, he couldn't completely hate Faith. He wanted to, it would make life a damn sight easier if he hated her and she hated him. They could make a clean break and then... his thoughts and dreams shattered into pieces as he realised that even if he and Faith were over it would not be so simple for him to be happy. He wanted Buffy, really wanted her, even fancied himself in love with her maybe, and it would be far from easy to make that relationship work. The age gap was bad enough, but dating the sister of your ex, should Faith come to be a past lover of his, that was a big no-no. Add to that the fact that Buffy was an innocent compared to the women in his world, it didn't make for a perfect result.

She was just seventeen, and much more naive than Faith had been at that age he was sure, despite the fact he hadn't known the brunette then. He knew her type, the sort that were out for what they could get, anything was cool as long as you had a good time doing it. She'd had as many men as he'd had women, maybe more, drinking was less a hobby and more a way of life, the whole time it was all about the party.

Buffy reminded Spike of how he used to be. Shy and quiet and looking for a fairytale ending with someone special. Drusilla had shown him what a fool he was, she'd hurt him terribly and turned him into what he was today. Whilst he had no problem with his current image and certainly had no great self-loathing at all, the last thing he wanted was to be the reason Buffy turned out like him or her half-sister.

With a sigh, Spike walked back to his car and climbed inside. He stretched out on the spacious back-seat of the DeSoto and settled down for the night, though in all honesty he doubted sleep would come. The car was not the comfiest place to sleep and his head was too busy to let him relax properly. His other options were few and far between. He knew he couldn't face sharing a bed with Faith who would likely either wish to continue their earlier argument, or worse, be full of ways to make up with him. Neither of these ideas thrilled Spike and so in the car he would stay, trying to relax enough that he could actually get some sleep.

Thoughts of Buffy filled his mind, in particluar memories of what had happened between the two of them on the front porch steps of her house. He'd never expected kissing her to feel so good. He'd done a lot of things with a lot of women, most of which he was pretty sure would make Buffy blush should she get to hear about them, and yet when they'd kissed it'd been a completely different kind of thrill. The only thing Spike could liken it to was back when he was a teen, hopelessly in love with Drusilla. It had felt like magic sparked between them, he'd loved her so damn much. It made Spike wonder if perhaps, for just the second time in his life he was really in love, this time with little Buffy Giles. If that were as true as it seemed to be right now, then surely he was doomed.

_To Be Continued..._

**A/N2 : Hopefully I get one more chapter done before Christmas, then I have no idea what'll happen with updates for a while. Oh, and I may have a one-shot idea on a Christmassy theme, but I'm not certain yet...**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N : This will probably be the last update on this fic until after Christmas, since I really wanna get these three Christmas one-shots that I have ideas for done. The Buffyverse fic is getting posted now, with a VMars and T7S fic to follow later for those who are interested in these other 'verses. In the meantime, hope you like the latest chapter of this story...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc.- seee chapter 1)**_

Chapter 19

The slam of the front door woke Faith from her drunken stupor, but only just. It was the continuous noise following that first sound that really shook her awake. It seemed as though someone were deliberately slamming every cupboard door in the kitchen, and stomping their feet extra hard on the floor.

"What the hell Spike?!" she half-yelled afraid of the effects of her own volume on her pounding head, as she leant in the bedroom doorway looking out into the kitchen.

"Well, don't you look great this morning?" he remarked, sarcasm evident as he cast an eye over her dishevelled form and then went right back to what he'd been doing before.

"Can't look worse than I feel" Faith shrugged, trying to recall exactly what had happened last night. The only prominent pictures in her mind were vodka and a pair of guys with a Cadillac that had showed her a good time for a while.

"Doubt you feel worse than your sister" Spike snapped, though he immediately wished he hadn't. It would only lead to another argument with more awkwardness to follow if he started taking Buffy's side against his woman.

"Buffy?" Faith struggled to remember anything that happened that might've upset her, then it all came flooding back, "Oh, damn!" she cursed herself, putting a hand to her aching head, pitching forward suddenly and steadying herself on the back for the couch. She hadn't been this hungover for a while, but then it was quite a while since she'd got as drunk as she had last night, she supposed. Faith was the kind of girl who could get high on life, with very little alcohol involved. If she'd gotten this far gone, there had to be a reason, and now she remembered what it was.

"You weren't there" she said suddenly, almost accusingly as she watched Spike moved around the apartment, that spun violently once in a while, throwing her off kilter as she leaned on the back of the couch, "And you didn't come back last night. How'd you know what happened?"

"Just heard is all" Spike said quickly and quietly, "Does the rounds pretty quick when someone like yourself makes a right royal pratt of herself" he told her sharply before crashing through the bathroom and slamming the door behind himself, making Faith's head pound and spin.

In all honesty, Spike was only being so angry and off with her because of what he himself had done. Yes, he disliked how Faith had behaved at Buffy's party, and how she'd upset the poor girl on her special day. At the same time, he felt awful for fooling around with the younger girl whilst her older sister was oblivious. It was at this point Spike truly understood the phrase, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Though he didn't make a habit of telling Faith he loved her, and he didn't plan on doing so anytime soon, he felt something for her that was more than just lust. He cared about what happened to her, and he'd rather her not get hurt. At the same time he had strong, deep feelings developing for Buffy which were most definitely not based purely on physical attraction. Obviously she was gorgeous, but there was something about her, something that drew him in. She was sweet, and kind, and clearly liked him too. He could be falling in love with her, despite the fact he knew it was wrong. The frustration he felt at himself for allowing himself to be pulled into this situation was what he took out on Faith.

"Yo, Spike!" she suddenly called through the bathroom door to him, and he realised he'd locked it, despite the fact neither of them made a habit of bothering. After all, they tended to share showers and such like, "You got the painkillers in there?" she asked, her pain evident in her voice. Through his guilt and her discomfort, Spike found he felt at least a little sorry for Faith.

With a sigh he reached into the cabinet, took out a bottle of aspirin and let himself out of the bathroom.

"Here" he said offering her the bottle, "Don't take more than two, right?" he told her, dropping a kiss on top of her head when she nodded. She frowned a little as she watched him walk away, wondering what his mood swings were all about. He had them a lot lately. If he were a woman there might be some obvious explanation related to hormones, but seeing as she knew he was all man in every possible way, it was puzzling.

"I gotta go" he said as he came back into view, handing her a glass of water, "Maybe you want to go and smooth things over with your sister?" he suggested, "She was... I imagine she was pretty pissed off with you last night" he said, internally cursing himself for his slip as he picked up his keys, pulled his coat back on and headed out the door which slammed behind him, causing Faith to wince.

Taking a calming breath she popped the lid off the aspirin and swallowed two down with the whole glass of water, going to the kitchen to refill the glass and drink that too. With another deep breath she managed to bite back the nausea she felt and make it to the bathroom without swaying too much. The sight of her own face in the mirror made her flinch almost as much as the banging of doors had. She looked terrible, worse than she had in a long while.

She had briefly wondered about Spike, if he might be seeing another woman, or several, since he hadn't slept with her much recently. The suspicious corner of her mind still wondered if he was playing around with her sister, but there was just no way that could be true. After all, she'd seen Buffy last night at the party which she wrecked so well. Spike wasn't there and he hadn't come home all night. He and Buffy couldn't possibly have been together all that time, or at all as far as she could see. Besides the little blonde loved her big sister so much, there was no way she'd allow anything to happen with her and Spike. Add to that the ridiculous notion of a badass like Spike actually wanting to be with a school kid like B, and the fact that Buffy had never really had a serious boyfriend, nevermind had sex with anyone, and it just didn't add up at all. Still, Faith had a hard time shaking the feeling that something she didn't know about was going on right under her nose.

Right now though, she would force it to the back of her mind. Spike was right about one thing, she needed to fix things with B. They were sisters after all, half-sisters but still, they loved each other. Faith could safely say her little sister was one of just a handful of people she cared about and who cared about her in kind, she didn't want all this crap between them. She needed to apologise, not something that came naturally to a girl like Faith, but she'd do it, nevertheless.

* * *

When the doorbell rang at 1630 Revello Drive, it was Giles who was closest and therefore answered it. He was a little surprised to see who was waiting on the other side. 

"Hey, Giles" Faith asked him, almost nervously, after all she couldn't recall exactly what had been said last night, but what she could hadn't been exactly friendly, "Is, er, B around? I kinda need to talk to her"

"I'm not entirely certain she wishes to speak to you, Faith" her step-father told her sharply, removing his glasses and folding his arms over his chest crossly, "You ruined her birthday party, greatly upset her, and also had your poor mother in tears, blaming herself for your outburst"

"That's why I'm here, Giles" Faith told him, getting a little angry herself though she tried not to, "I wanna apologise to B, and my Mom too" she told him.

Giles seemed to consider her request for a moment before eventually nodding his head and stepping aside to let her in.

"Very well, come in" he told her, calling for Buffy to come downstairs, which also alerted Joyce from the kitchen when she heard her husband say Faith was there.

"Hey guys" she forced half a smile, glad her headache was subsiding by now, "Look, about last night, I was so drunk..."

"Why do you do that to yourself, Faith?" Joyce wanted to know as they all stood in the hallway, Buffy at the foot of the stairs, feeling both angry and awkward around her sister.

"I had a rough day" she shrugged, hating how bad she was being made to feel, how much like a little kid, "Look, I don't have to explain that, all I came here it do was tell you and B that I'm sorry, okay?" she told her mother before turning to her sister, "I didn't mean to ruin your night, kid, I just went a little OTT on the vodka, y'know how it is with me and that stuff"

"I know" Buffy nodded her head, "And it's okay, I know you didn't mean to ruin my party"

Faith managed a smile at that and her mother added her own forgiveness to the pile, as well as an apology for not handling the situation as well as she might've when both her girls had obviously been so upset last night, for different reasons.

That said, Giles disappeared to the kitchen, not looking overly impressed that everyone had let Faith off the hook with a small warning and Joyce soon followed to explain to him why she had.

"You wanna hang out for a while?" Buffy asked the older girl, "It's been a while since we talked and stuff"

"Yeah, sure" Faith nodded as they both moved to ascend the stairs, "I got nothin' else to do" she muttered as they went up to Buffy's room and both sat down. It was awkward at first but they soon got back to how they used to be, chewing over old times, dissing each others fashion sense in a playful sisterly way, and re-affirming their apologies and forgiveness over last night. When the subject of boys finally rolled around, that was when Buffy wished the ground would just open up and swallow her already.

"So, I didn't see any particular guy hangin' around you last night" said Faith as she lay across the bed looking over at her sister who sat at her vanity table messing around with her hair, "But hey, I wasn't exactly focusing too good, so what's the deal, B? Anyone 'special' in your life?" she asked, air-quoting appropriately Buffy noticed as she watched her sisters reflection in the mirror.

"Not really" she lied, thinking of Spike and how it had felt last night to kiss him.

"Oh, come on, B" Faith laughed, "You're tellin' me that not one guy at your school is interested in you? We may be half sisters, man, but you got pretty much the same percentage of looks as me, and I was always surrounded"

"Yeah, but you were..." Buffy chuckled, stopping when she realised what she was about to say, that her sister was easy, kind of a slut really. It wasn't really her looks that got guys attention, it was her reputation. She gave in to pretty much any boy that asked in High School, that was why they all asked.

"Yeah, well, I gotta use the bathroom" Faith said suddenly scrambling from the bed and disappearing from the room.

Buffy sighed in annoyance at her own stupidity. How could she even think of saying something like that to her sister? Okay, so it was true, but that really wasn't the point. She loved Faith, in spite of everything, she didn't want to hurt her. Of course that was made much more difficult by the fact that Buffy was clearly falling in love with Spike. She got up from her vanity when she noticed something on her bed. Faith's cellphone flashed different colours across the screen for a few seconds, a silent alert that a message had been received. Glancing towards the door to make sure she wasn't coming back yet, Buffy picked up the phone, skipped past the new message that was apparently from somebody named Illyria, and got into the phone book, scrolling through to Spike's name. With a smile she grabbed up her own phone and copied the number onto the list. She was just putting Faith's phone back where she found it when the older girl returned to the room.

"You, er, have a new message" the blonde forced a smile as she handed the phone over.

The brunette frowned a little as she took her cell back and checked the screen. The message from Illyria made her frown harder and she sighed as she stuffed her phone in her pocket and turned to her sister.

"This was fun, B, but I gotta go" she explained, "I'll see ya" she half-smiled as she turned and walked away. Buffy didn't even say goodbye, she was so relieved to have gotten away with what she had, and she grinned as she pulled out her own cellphone once again and typed out the message she wanted to send. With great satisfaction she sent it to her desired recipient and waited for his reply.

* * *

"Bloody hell!" Spike cursed, rolling himself out from under his friends car on the trolley, and looking over at where he'd left his cellphone on the garage workbench. It had just let out a beep for the third time this morning so far, and he presumed that like the other two times, this message would be from Faith, being overly friendly for some reason as yet unknown. Of course he didn't have to be here, it wasn't real work, just him doing a favour for a mate on a Sunday, but he couldn't face her yet.

"What do you want now, Faithie?" he said, mostly to himself as he went over to his phone and flipped it open, checking the message. He was surprised to find it was from an 'unknown number', until he read the actual text.

'Hey Spike, it's Buffy. Got your number from Faith's cell, she has no idea. I need to see you. Luv Buffy xxx'

Though he smiled at the message, Spike was cursing himself on the inside. He shouldn't be doing this, he thought, as he began to reply, arranging a time and place for them to meet in secret. It wasn't like it was some illicit liaison, not as such. There was no sex or money involved, just two people who were falling head over heels for each other meeting up to talk and stuff. The 'and stuff' sounded a lot more suspect in his head than Spike would've liked but he still sent the message and started watching the clock. When lunch time rolled around he had somewhere to be and someone to meet, no matter how wrong it was.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N : Hope everyone had a pleasant Christmas, or any other celebration or holiday you may have had in December, hope the New Year is good for all too. Finally we have a new chapter of this fic!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 20

Spike sat on the bench by the lake in Weatherly Park. From most angles he was surrounded by trees which suited him fine really. It was the perfect little spot for a secret meeting, an illicit liaison as it were. Spike hated that he'd become this bloke, someone who sneaked around behind people's backs, seeing someone he shouldn't. It made him as bad as Drusilla, who had similarly betrayed him with her ex, Angel. Of course he wasn't cheating on Faith in any real sense. He and Buffy had only kissed once, and it wasn't as if he and his girlfriend were exclusive lovers, neither of them were concerned how often the other got their kicks elsewhere. The trouble was, this wasn't just about getting his leg over. If shagging was all he wanted, Spike could get that at home or with various girls who were similar to Faith and would happily share their bed and their body with him. What he felt for Buffy, it was so very different. Since Dru, this was the first time he was contemplating the word love.

"Hey" the very blonde he was thinking of smiled as she appeared at his side, dressed to impress he was fairly certain and as beautiful as ever as the sun lit up her face and made her golden hair appear like a halo around her head. She was a veritable angel, and what was he? The devil in disguise some might say, but he didn't feel like it when she smiled at him like that.

"Alright, luv?" he said as she walked around and sat down on the bench beside him.

"Better now" she admitted as she sat close to him, pleased when he got the message and leant in to kiss her lips. What started out soft soon deepened into something similarly explosive to last night as his hand got tangled in her hair and her arms wrapped around his neck holding him close.

"So" she said breathlessly when they eventually parted, "Last night wasn't just another dream" she sighed.

"Dream about snogging me a lot, do you pet?" he teased her and she turned a pretty shade of pink.

"Maybe" she admitted, "Like you don't dream about me" she challenged, but the fun went out of the moment when he recalled a couple of the dreams he'd recently had about her. She probably wouldn't be hugely pleased to hear about them, and he wasn't about to willingly share, after all she was only just seventeen. That particular thought took the shine off the moment considerably.

"Ooh, frowny" she complained as his mind went into over-drive and his attention went away from her, his hands dropping away from her back as he shifted over and she was forced to let go of him too.

"Gotta admit, luv, there's a fair bit playin' on my mind of late" he told her, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and looking out over the lake, "Not least of all your sister and how this" he gestured vaguely between them, "isn't exactly the most sensible decision I ever made in my life"

"Did you come here to tell me we can't be together?" Buffy asked, desperate to hide the shake in the voice but failing rather badly.

"No, pet" Spike assured her fast as he faced her again, "I swear to you, that's not it" he promised, his hand going to her face, "But you have to realise, same as me, that this isn't the best plan in the world" he shook his head, "I'm living with your sister Buffy, and I'm a lot older than you..."

"None of that matters" she protested, "Age is so not a factor, not when you're in lo-" she stopped short when she realised what she'd been about to say, "It just doesn't matter"

Spike smirked at her abrupt change of sentence, but said nothing about it. She felt the same way he did. Love was on her mind as well as his and she was just as afraid of it as he himself was. He decided it was best left unmentioned for now, and changed the subject.

"So, where do Mum and Dad think their little girl has gone to today?" he asked her, smirking still, "Seems to me you didn't tell them you were sneaking off to meet your secret fella"

"I told them I was going to see my friend, Willow" Buffy explained, "and I sent her a text message, she knows what to do if they call her house looking for me"

"Got a plan, have we, pet?" Spike asked her, intrigued.

"Obviously" she rollled her eyes, "If Mom calls Willow, she'll tell her I'm in the bathroom, put Mom on hold, call my cell, then switch to conference call so Mom talks to me. Simple" she shrugged as Spike laughed.

"Bloody hell" he chuckled, "Startin' to realise you're not as innocent as you look, luv"

"You better believe it" she shot back, with a look in her eyes that was full of mischief and unspoken suggestion. Spike hated how she could turn him on so easily with just a look.

He could forget all the problems, the age gap, her sister, all the crap that could keep them apart, it just fell away as they sat her together, talking and laughing. The light suddenly caught the pendant around her neck and took Spike's attention.

"Still wearin' this then?" he said, as he reached out to touch the silver item he himself had given her last night.

"Like I'd ever take it off" Buffy scoffed, glancing from the sparkling purple stone in her necklace to the clear blue of his eyes that felt like they were looking right into her soul, as his fingers brushed over her collarbone and felt as if they burned her skin, "I'll wear it forever" she whispered as his hand slid around her neck and behind her head, pulling her into another kiss that was as deep as the first.

So the time ticked by, and the pair alternated between talking and kissing, trying to ignore the world around them that was never likely to accept them wanting to be together. Here in this little corner of the park, surrounded by trees and water on every side, they were the only two that existed, or so it felt. Nobody could touch them, no-one could tell them what they felt was wrong. They weren't hurting anybody, because nobody knew they were here or what they were doing.

All too soon they were forced to admit they should both leave. Spike had told his friend he would be back to finish fixing his car within the hour, and he'd been gone over two already. Though Buffy's parents had not checked on her yet she was sure they would and Willow had already called once to say she was getting increasingly uncomfortable about the plan to fool Mr and Mrs Giles should either of them call the Rosenburg residence.

"So, we should both be going then" Spike sighed as the pair of them got to their feet and faced each other.

"I guess" Buffy agreed, looking down at the ground, "but I hate it"

"Hey" Spike got her attention, lifting her chin with his fingers til she was looking up into his eyes once again, "Where's that smile I know you've got hidden in there somewhere?" he asked her with a grin of his own that Buffy couldn't help but return, "That's my girl" he said, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tight.

"I so am" she agreed, resting her head on his chest, "It's all I want to be"

"'S a good thing that's what you are then" said Spike as he dropped a kiss on the top of her head, just a second before she lifted her face to look at him again. She barely had time to breathe before his lips claimed hers for a kiss that made her whole body hum with excitement, leaving her in no doubt of how he felt about her. The way she responded proved her feelings for him too, something that Spike was equal parts pleased and saddened to realise. If she just had a crush on him, it'd probably fade in time. The thrill would be lost soon enough and she'd move on to another obsession. As it was she was making it pretty clear her feelings ran just as deep as his own, and that meant both wonder and danger at the same time.

"Off you go then, luv" he said a moment later when they parted, "Don't want anyone gettin' suspiscious, do we?"

"I'll see you again soon?" she checked as she backed up a step.

"Count on it, sweetheart" he smiled, glad to see her expression match his own as she walked away, backwards for the first few steps then turning ad hurrying away from temptation.

The grin on her face just would not shift and Buffy knew she'd never felt like this before. This was love, pure and simple, there was just no other way to describe the powerful and wonderful feelings Spike could evoke in her. She so wanted to run right back into his arms, even just turn back and see him smile one more time, but she didn't dare. She knew she had to walk away, for now at least and one look back, one step back, it would lead to another half an hour of goodbyes and neither of them had time for that, not without arousing suspicion.

Hurrying down the street, she bypassed Revello Drive and headed over to Willow's house. After all, she'd told her parents she'd be there all afternoon and she'd only been gone a couple of hours seeing Spike. Running around to the back of the house she tapped on the door and her friend let her into her bedroom, thus Willow's parents would not know what time Buffy arrived or left and couldn't tell tales to Mrs and Mrs Giles.

"Hey Will" the blonde grinned, "Isn't it a beautiful day?" she enthused as she sat herself own on the end of the bed.

"Buffy, you look like you have a hanger in your mouth" Willow snickered, "Could you be any happier?" she asked as she sat down on her desk chair facing her friend.

"Doubtful" Buffy sighed, "Unless Spike was like High School guy, that'd make things a little less awkward" she admitted.

"Maybe it'd be better if he wasn't dating your sister too" her friend suggested, "You know this can't end well"

"I know" Buffy admitted, hanging her head, "And I so don't want to hurt Faith, or make my parents angry, or anything, but Will, I can't help it" she begged her friend to understand, "I just... I love Spike"

"Are you sure?" Willow checked, "I mean, you haven't known him that long, and he's so... well, different to us, and good-looking. Maybe it's just the thrill and the danger that has you all moony-eyed over him"

"I thought that too, at first" the blonde nodded, "But I'm getting to know him, Will, and there's nothing I don't like, that I don't love" she smiled brightly once again, "He's so sweet, and kind, and gentle, and yet he has this passion, and when he kisses me it's like hot lava in my veins and fireworks exploding in my head. He's everything I want" she explained and Willow couldn't help but smile and be at least a little happy for her. After all, it sounded so wonderful to have a guy like that, who could make you feel so many things. All the red-head herself had was a boy on the other end of an Internet connection, without a name or a face that she would recognise.

As if thinking of him had triggered it, a message flashed up on the computer screen, telling Willow she had one new email message.

"Is that from LoverBoy?" Buffy asked, moving to stand behind her friend and look over her shoulder at the screen, as Willow moved the mouse and looked in her inbox at the new email.

"It's Bikin' Boy" she corrected her friend, blushing slightly, "And yes, it is from him" she said, closing the page instead of opening the email.

"You're not reading?" the blonde frowned slightly and Willow glanced away.

"Not right now, when I have company" she said, a little awkwardly, "It might be private" she said, looking down, and tucking her hair behind her ear nervously.

"Private?" Buffy echoed, trying to see her friends face, "What kind of stuff does he say to you exactly? Is he getting fresh with you via the web?" she wanted to know, only half-joking. Willow giggled.

"He's not like that" she shook her head, "It's just, we talk about things, everything actually, and I don't think he'd be too happy if he knew I let you read all the stuff he told me in confidence"

"Oh" Buffy nodded once, "Well, that's cool, I get it" she smiled, "So you still haven't figured out who he really is yet, huh?"

Willow shook her head.

"No, and it's driving me crazy" she admitted, "I mean, obviously he knows who I am, and he has to be at our school, stuff he's said confirms it" she explained, "That's pretty much all I can figure out so far, just that he's a student at our school, and presumably he has a bike of some kind?"

"I guess" Buffy considered, "How much do you wish you were Veronica Mars right now?" she smiled, as Willow did the same.

"Oh, she so would have found out who he was by now!" the red-head enthused, "but I guess I'll just have to wait til he's ready to come out and tell me"

"Just think how perfect everything could work out" Buffy said with a wide smile, "Me and Spike, you and your Bikin' Boy, Xander and Anya. All happy and coupledy by the Summer, what do you think?"

"It could happen, I guess" Willow agreed, though honestly she couldn't see how her friend and Spike would ever work out, and she wasn't convinced she'd ever get her Prince Charming either, no matter how sweet he was via the Net.

"Kinda sucks about Xand though" Buffy sighed, "I mean obviously I'm totally happy for him, but do you think Anya can be a little..."

"Pushy? Abrasive? Blunt? Rude?" Willow suggested.

"I was going to go with honest" Buffy smirked, "but clearly you have other ideas that need to be explored, Will"

"I don't know" she shrugged, "I just think maybe Xander could do better than that. Plus I've seen her drag him into the utility closet like a dozen times this week alone" she said with a look, "She's a little make-out crazy"

"Assuming all they do is make-out..." Buffy considered, both herself and her friend shuddering with distaste simultaneously. They both loved Xander, but not that way, and they so didn't need the mental image that was conjured up right in that moment. They were glad to change the subject and talk of more pleasant things, til the afternoon was over and Buffy had to head home.

_To Be Continued..._


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N : There's a pattern developing with this story, the chapters are all kinda short, but that probably means there'll be a whole lot of chapters, so hopefully thats cool with you reading peops!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 21

"Why would your mother ground you for going out of school in your free?" Spike asked as he walked down the street towards Revello Drive in the dark of the evening, talking on his cellphone to the girl he loved, who was surprisingly not his actual girlfriend, but that young woman's seventeen year old sister.

"She didn't" was Buffy's answer to his question, "I maybe didn't exactly have a free" she admitted awkwardly, "I might've kind of skipped a double period of English"

"Buffy, luv, I told you not to get into trouble on my account" Spike sighed, hating the thought that he was causing this sweet, innocent girl to become so duplicitous.

"Well, you said it was the only time you could see me" she whined, "I wasn't going to miss an opportunity"

Spike smiled at that, despite his better judgement. It prove to him without a doubt how much she loved him, though neither of them had yet dared to speak those words. They proved their affection every time they saw each other, every time they made an excuse to get out of their normal everyday activities for the sake of spending usually just a few minutes alone together.

Up to this point only Buffy's two closest friends knew of the secret affair. Willow and Xander had vowed not to breathe a word about it, despite the fact Xand really wasn't a fan of Spike and disliked it immensely that his friend had got mixed up with such a person. Willow thought it was all so romantic, despite her earlier reservations. She'd worried for Buffy's safety at first, and also that the blonde might get her heart broken, but she couldn't deny how happy her friend was now. She'd never once returned from a meeting with Spike looking sad or complaining about him. They hadn't fought about anything for this whole month, and they'd seen each other pretty much every day one way or another.

"You really think the way to make this situation better is for me to be sneaking into the back of your house in the dark?" he checked as he passed around the back of her house and peered up at her bedroom window where the light was visibly on.

"Spike, it's our anniversary" she reminded him, and he knew she was right. It was exactly one month to the day since her seventeenth birthday, the day they'd shared their first kiss and their little affair had begun.

"The things I do for you, Miss Giles" he sighed as she looked down at him from her window with a grateful smile.

Ending the call on his cell, Spike pushed the phone into the pocket of his jeans and began ascending the wall of the house via the trellis and plants that grew up it. Buffy had the window open ready for him and he slid into her bedroom as elegantly and silently as a cat.

"Haven't done that in a while" he admitted, glancing back over his shoulder at the distance he'd just climbed. As he turned back he found Buffy right in front of him, and her lips hit his before he had time to breathe.

"Happy Anniversary" she whispered between kisses as he reciprocated, hands running over her body and thrilling her like always.

Buffy moved back and lay down on her bed, pulling Spike down with her. For a moment he was too lost in what he was doing to really think clearly about who he was with and in what direction this situation was travelling. When his mind eventually caught up with his body he stopped and pulled away, standing up fast and leaving Buffy alone on her bed, looking a little confused.

"Is something wrong?" she checked.

"No, pet" he assured her, "Least not anything like you're thinkin'. We were just going a bit fast is all" he tried to explain, "Y'know fellas have a point where they can't just stop and..."

"I'm seventeen, Spike, I'm not stupid" she told him with an eye roll and an amused smile, "I know about guys and... how things work" she said with a look, suddenly feeling a little awkward.

She'd thought this was a good idea, inviting Spike into her bedroom for the first time. She'd been planning another first time for tonight as well, though she hadn't actually mentioned it to Spike. Faith had always made it look so easy to get guys to do what you want. Buffy knew she loved Spike, and that he loved her too, despite the fact the words had never been said. She wanted to prove her feelings with actions, something she'd never done with anyone else before, and yet she wasn't worried or nervous, this felt more right than anything else she'd ever planned to do in her life. Surprisingly it seemed Spike was going to be the skittish one.

"Buffy, sweetheart" he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her and running his hands back through his hair that she had messed up whilst they been making out, "You know how I feel about you, never felt like this about any other bleedin' girl" he told her, giving her a sideways glance as she stared at the carpet feeling as though she'd made a fool of herself, "I just don't think we should be rushing into something you might end up regretting" he said softly, hating the fact she looked close to tears as she took in his words.

"How long did you know Faith before you slept with her?" she asked snippily as she got up and walked over to her window, straightening her top as she went and then folding her arms over her chest.

"Oh, come on" Spike complained, following her, "That's not bloody fair. You know my feelings for your sister are nothing like what I feel for you" he swore, getting hold of her by the shoulders and turning her around to face him, knowing he'd be yelling by now to get his point across, were it not for the fact they were both forced to whisper as her parents were just downstairs, "Buffy, luv" he said, putting a hand to her cheek, "If it wasn't already obvious from the pratt I've made of myself so many times for you" he smiled, "I love you"

Buffy's breath hitched in her throat at the sound of those words. She'd dreamt of him saying them a thousand times or more and she knew he felt it even without him speaking those words. Still, it was thrilling to hear at last as he looked into her eyes and the whole world fell away.

"I love you too" she told him sincerely, putting her hand over his at her cheek, "Why else do you think I want us to be together?"

She was so innocent, Spike realised once again, though he'd known it from the second he laid eyes on her, every once in a while she would prove it all over again and make him smile. To her, what she was asking of him was that he show her how much he loved her and let her do the same. Spike had lived in this sordid little world so long, sex was just what it was, a physical release, a good time that you moved on from and forgot about your partner by the next night. Of course, he and Faith were more than that, on some levels anyway. They were never in love or anything, Spike was sure he hadn't felt that for a woman since Drusilla, at least not until now, with Buffy. She stood before him now, all sweetness and light, wanting him and loving him. There was no possible way he could deny her.

Running his fingers through her golden hair, he stepped in closer and kissed her softly on the lips. What started out gentle and tender soon increased in passion as they melted into each others arms, emotions taking over all rational thought as their hands wandered over each others bodies and they moved slowly back towards the bed. Spike laid Buffy down, his fingers finding their way inside her clothes. His hands were cold against her skin and she shivered involuntarily for a moment. It felt so good and yet a little strange to both of them as they moved things on further than they ever had before. Buffy found those nerves that hadn't been present before suddenly rose to the surface and she stiffened a little in Spike's embrace.

"'S alright, luv" he whispered in her ear.

"I know" she replied, gasping as his lips trailed kisses down her neck and he continued to relieve them both of their clothing...

Downstairs, Joyce and Giles sat in front of the TV, asking themselves and each other if perhaps they'd been too hard on Buffy by grounding her. She was such a good girl, but lately it had been one thing after another, from curse words to staying out later than she should. Skipping school had been the final straw and they'd been forced to take drastic action and ground her. They had no idea of course why her behaviour had changed so much over this past month, or that their blessed little princess did not mind being grounded at all, as she and her secret boyfriend made love in the bedroom above them.

* * *

Willow sat in front of her computer, grinning like an idiot as she read the next thing her online 'friend' Bikin' Boy had to say. He was always full of stories about his cousins antics, to the point where the red-head often wondered if this person existed at all. Not that she'd accuse him of being a liar at all but if this man existed he would be quite fantastic, though not at all suited to her. She was much happier chatting with Bikin' Boy who, whilst seemingly very cool, was not so dangerous sounding as his mysterious cousin.

'He's changed lately, not in a bad way, but he's different. He doesn't seem to have as much time either'

'Maybe he has a girlfriend' Willow typed as a suggestion, after all, she knew that both Xander and Buffy had a lot less free time lately since they got together with their respective partners.

'He lives with a girl, she's sort of his girlfriend I suppose' Bikin' Boy typed in response, 'but it's only this past month he's been so busy'

"A month" Willow said aloud, recalling that Buffy's soul topic of girly conversation for the past few days had been her and Spike's one month anniversary. She had said she was planning something big for tonight, and even shy, innocent Willow had figured out what her cryptic clues pertained too. Though she couldn't imagine being ready to take such a big step at her age, she only told Buffy to remember to be careful and make sure she was completely sure before letting anything happen. Once it was done it couldn't be taken back.

The sound of another message arriving on her computer screen caught Willow's attention and she immediately responded.

'I'm sorry, my mind wandered away without me' she wrote with a smile, 'My best friend, she's been busy lately too, and she has a new boyfriend'

'A strange coincidence' she read the reply and wondered then if it really was as simple as that. Buffy was dating a pretty wild guy, and here was her online buddy telling her tales of his wild cousin who had gotten very busy and a little secretive this past month. She wracked her brains trying to think of a way to prove this situation one way or the other, without asking Bikin' Boy for any personal information that she herself would not be willing to divulge if the same question were asked of her.

'brb' she typed, before he had a chance to ask why she'd gone quiet again.

"Spike would have to be the cousin of somebody at our school" she said to herself, "So they'd be British?" she thought aloud as she mulled it over in her mind. Suddenly her eyes went wide as she had the weirdest thought. The more she thought about it the more it made sense though she could scarce believe it were true. Her hands were shaking as they returned to the keys and typed once again.

'Are you Wesley Wyndham-Pryce?' she asked, waiting what felt like an eternity for the answer.

None came, and the internet link between them was severed without a word.

_To Be Continued..._


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N : You just know this fic ain't gonna get simple any time soon, don'tcha?  
****_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_**

Chapter 22

The phone ringing softly by her head woke Buffy from a peaceful slumber. She was somewhat disappointed to find she was alone in her bed, but sweet memories filled her head, and her body still tingled from the experience of what she and Spike had done just an hour ago. The musical ring of her cell caught her attention once again and she smiled as she reached for it, hoping it would be her boyfriend and lover on the other end of the line.

"Hello" she murmured, aware of the late hour, and happily sleepy as she stretched out under the covers of her bed.

"Buffy, thank God" said Willow as her friend finally picked up, her agitated tone soon snapped the blonde out of her dreamy semi-slumber and she pulled herself up to a sitting position, the smile returning to her lips as she spotted a piece of paper laid on the blankets near her feet.

"Will, I had the most amazing night" she enthused as she reached for the paper she'd just noticed and unfolded it.

"That's great, Buffy, really, but I have news and I don't know what to do!" she said sounding a little panicky, "I think my Internet guy is Wesley!"

"Wesley?" the blonde gasped, her love-note from Spike temporarily falling from her grasp, "As in Wesley Wyndham-Pryce? Like Spike's cousin, the geek?" she checked.

"He's not a geek" Willow protested, "but yes, that was who I meant"

"Wow" Buffy sounded almost as stunned as her friend felt, "How'd you find out?"

"I didn't" Willow admitted, "At least, not for sure, but he was talking about his cousin, actually he talks about his cousin a lot, but he was telling me how he's been kind of distant and secretive this past month" she explained, "I said maybe he had a new girlfriend and the more facts he shared, the more it seemed like Spike"

The very sound of his name made Buffy grin like an idiot and she dipped down to pick up the fallen note from her man.

'My beautiful Buffy, Sorry I couldn't be there when you woke up, but I doubt it could compare to having you fall asleep in my arms. Promise to call you very soon, pet. Love always, Spike'

She read it twice and almost a third time when Willow started calling her name quite loudly in her ear, pulling her back to reality.

"Sorry, Will, I got a little distracted" she admitted, a yawn escaping as she spoke.

"I guess it is a little late for crazy friends to be calling" the red-head realised with an apologetic laugh as she checked the clock, "We'll talk tomorrow"

"Of course" Buffy agreed, feeling a little guilty that she was glad to end the conversation with her friend. Just a soon as she'd ended the call she shut off her cell and threw it to one side, falling back against the pillows with Spike's note clutched to her chest. She was so hopelessly in love with this man, and tonight had been so perfect. He'd made her feel like a woman tonight, so far from the childish girl she was often treated as by her parents and her sister.

Thoughts of Faith cast somewhat of a shadow on the pleasing memory of the night. Spike was still living with her, still cared for her, could even still be sleeping with her. Buffy could almost cry when she thought of it and hated that she'd almost managed to spoil tonight for herself. Of course nothing could fully tarnish it. Spike had made her feel so beautiful and so loved, she'd never felt quite like that before, and she was sure she'd never feel the same again.

It was with thoughts of seeing Spike again, and repeating tonight's pleasure, running through Buffy's head as she fell asleep, happy to dream of this same man for as long as sleep held her.

* * *

"Faithie" Spike was surprised to see her when he came through the door of their apartment. He'd had a pleasant enough stroll home, thinking over what he and Buffy had been doing previously. Naturally he felt guilty, after all he was supposed to be with Faith, and they'd hidden their relationship from everybody, including her parents, who Spike was sure would go off the chart if they ever found out. The thing was, Spike couldn't care too much about what anybody else thought or felt right now. He and Buffy, they were in love, there was simply no denying it, and no amount of worrying over it or guilt-trips about it were going to change that. 

"Hey Spike" Faith said from her position laid out on the couch, a cigarette in one hand and a double of his bourbon in the other it seemed.

"Didn't expect you to be home so fast" he said, knowing what he meant was he wished she wasn't here, but he couldn't tell her that or why.

"The Bronze was a bust" she shrugged, eyes flitting between the TV and where Spike stood now at the end of the couch, "Illyria found better ways to work off her temper than getting drunk and yellin' at me" she said with a dirty look that Spike understood only too well.

"P'haps if your freaky friend finds herself a proper playmate she'll stop using you for company every time life gets tough" Spike said with a look of his own as he sat on the arm of the couch and tried to make out what crap Faith was watching on TV - some talk show with a couple of weird looking families getting ready to hurl the furniture at each other when they ran out of cheap abuse.

"Everyone's a user, Spike" Faith shrugged, "Just different people, different ways, but they're all out for what they can get from you"

"Tell me again how a girl like you, from a nice little family in a nice little neighbourhood ever got so bloody jaded" Spike asked with a shake of his head. He hadn't really been thinking about what he'd said, until Faith sat up sharply and snapped at him.

"You think I've got a nice family?!" she said, looking unimpressed, "You don't know anything, Blondie" she said, shaking her head as she went to get up and walk away, he grabbed her wrist as she went past.

"Faith, come on" he urged her as she tore her arm free of his grasp and glared at him, "Baby, please. I didn't mean anything by it" he assured her, knowing exactly why he'd really said it.

Buffy was the reason, yet again. She seemed to be the reason behind a lot of things these days. She talked about her family too, how great her parents were and everything. They seemed so different from the monsters Faith painted them to be. Of course Spike had no doubt it was difficult for Faith, what with Giles not being her real father and all, but their mother clearly loved them both. That much was obvious from things Buffy had said, and from the couple of times Spike had actually been allowed to meet and converse with the Giles.

"Whatever" Faith shrugged, "But y'know if you ain't sure what you're saying maybe you should keep your mouth shut" she advised him, "Or... use it for something else?" she suggested with a sly look as she leaned in to him. Spike jumped up from the couch like he'd been scalded, backing away towards the bathroom, and making Faith frown hard.

"Er, yeah" he said vaguely, "'M just gonna take a shower, pet, then I ought to be getting some shut eye. Gonna be bloody busy at work again tomorrow by all accounts" he forced a smile as he disappeared into the bathroom, bolting the door behind himself.

Faith stared after him, wondering what the hell had gotten into him, or rather... who he'd been getting into? There had been things, signs maybe, these past few weeks. Spike could be so distant sometimes and he never really wanted to fool around with her anymore. They hadn't had sex in a long time and several times she'd asked why. Spike always had an excuse and as much as it was pissing her off she didn't mind finding her fun elsewhere. What bugged her was the fact he must be lying to her. He had to be getting his kicks somewhere, with some other girl. They were both honest and open enough to tell each other if they were bored now, at least that's what Faith always thought the agreement was.

What worried her most was that her mind had just found the information she'd been looking for in her head. The scent she smelt on Spike's clothes as he moved to walk away from her, it was feminine, perfume. Deep in the archives of her memory, Faith finally hit upon where she'd smelt that sweet flowery smell before.

"Buffy" she whispered to herself, thinking of the girls sixteenth birthday and the special bottle of perfume her grandmother had got for her whilst on a trip to France. She saved it for special occasions, not that Faith remembered there being that many excuses for her to wear it. Was it so crazy to think she'd worn it tonight to see Spike?

* * *

Willow lay in her bed, wondering if sleep would ever come to her, after all it was now three in the morning and despite the fact she'd closed her eyes several times willing sleep to come it had so far eluded her. Her mind was stuck and whirring over the possibility that Wesley Wyndham Pryce, the boy she'd had a crush on since he transferred to Sunnydale High in Sophomore year, was the very same Bikin' Boy whom she'd been talking to online for several weeks now. 

Surely everything was about to work out perfectly if it were true. She knew she liked him, he clearly liked her, they knew they got along after so many hours of talking via computer. Still, Willow knew talking to boys face to face was much more diffilcut than typing away to someone she didn't have to actually see.

Everything seemed to fit. Wesley had a wild and cool cousin in the form of Spike. This cousin had been distant and very busy the past month possibly due to a new girlfriend which would be Buffy. Wes was intelligent and a nice guy, just like the boy on the Internet, plus Willow remembered her friend mentioning to her that Spike had taught him to ride a motorcycle really well, hence the name Bikin' Boy.

As she thought over and over it, there was nothing that didn't fit except for one tiny detail. Wesley never gave Willow the time of day. She never got so much as a 'hello' out of him in the halls of Sunnydale High, not that she'd ever actually tried to speak to him either but surely if he liked her so much he couldn't be so indifferent. She laughed at that particular thought. Of course he could do it, she certainly had. Despite the crush she'd had for about two years now, she'd never said a word to anyone but her two best friends about it.

Where they went from here, Willow really wasn't sure. If she faced Wesley and was wrong, she'd be so completely embarrassed. If she was right there was nothing to say he'd want to admit it, after all he'd offlined pretty fast when she guessed his name. Willow turned over in her bed and sighed. Three thirty and still she hadn't got any sleep. This was ridiculous!

_To Be Continued..._


	23. Chapter 23

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 23

"Good morning, isn't it a beautiful day?" Buffy grinned as she arrived at school, pushing her sunglasses up off her face onto the top of her head.

"Hey, Buff" Xander smiled, "Somebody got out of the right side of bed this morning"

"I'd've got out of bed a lot happier myself if I'd've been sharing said bed with another person" Anya said frankly, giving her boyfriend a look before shifting her gaze back to Buffy, "But I'm very glad that at least one amongst us is getting satisfactory orgasms"

"Anya!" Xander snapped at her, and she looked at him as if she didn't understand what was wrong with what she'd said, "I don't think Buffy is happy because of... that" he said only to glance back at his friend and see she was looking down, her cheeks burning bright red.

"See, orgasms!" Anya said triumphantly, "There's a specific look and a kind of glow that only happen to a girl when she's enjoyed a night of extreme sexual pleasure"

"Okay, so steering the conversation down a non-sexy path would be of the good" Buffy shifted uncomfortably under the shocked gaze of Xander and the grin of his girlfriend, "Willow, hey!" Buffy was relieved to see her friend walking towards them, since it diverted attention off of her.

"Hey guys" the red-head smiled, before a yawn overtook her.

"Geez, Will, did you sleep at all last night?" Xander asked her with a worried frown, "You don't look so well"

"I'm fine, honestly, I am" she said, forcing a smile, "I just, I had stuff on my mind last night"

"Like Wesley?" Buffy checked, almost certain she was right, "Will thinks he might be her Internet buddy" she explained to the other two.

"Wesley?" Xander echoed, "Like the guy you've had a crush on forever?"

"Oh, the English guy in my history class?" Anya asked, "Cos he's actually kind of sexy, in a conservative brainy British kind of a way"

"I couldn't sleep all night thinking about him" Willow sighed, "All those times we talked, we got along so well, and he's so dreamy to look at too" she smiled shyly, going a little red, "Everything should be perfect, but..."

"But what, Will?" Xander checked as the gang of four headed towards the school building.

"If he likes me, why did he offline so fast when I guessed who he was?" she asked, still feeling confused, "I mean, maybe that means it's not him, or maybe it's all just a horrible joke. If that's true then, all of this meant nothing, and I've been such a dope"

"No" Buffy said quickly, "Willow, you're not a dope, and y'know maybe Wesley has a good reason for leaving last night" she suggested, "I mean, he could've broken his computer just at the wrong second, or hey, maybe he's nervous that now you know who he is you won't like him anymore"

"He thinks I'm that shallow?" Willow asked, her eyes going wide, "If he knew me at all he wouldn't even think that"

"Men's minds don't work like ours, Willow" Anya told her, "They think they know what we're thinking, and they think they're the superior sex, they really have no idea what's going on, but you know you shouldn't hold that against them" she shook her head, "It's just nature really"

"Okay, should I be offended by that?" Xander asked Buffy as they walked a step behind his girlfriend and other best friend, "Cos honestly, I didn't follow so well"

"I don't think it was an insult" the blonde told him, though in all honesty she was never quite sure what Anya meant when she said most things. As she continued to ramble on in Willow's ear, Xander turned to Buffy with another question.

"So, you and Spike, huh?" he said awkwardly, "From the way your face heat up back there I'm guessing Anya was right"

"Xander, please, leave the lecture for my father when he finds out" she sighed, "Don't spoil my perfect memory with your safe sex babble" she urged him in a whisper as other students walked past them that she'd rather didn't hear her.

"Hey, I don't want to..." Xander began, holding up his hands in surrender, "Look, Buff, I just want my girls to be happy" he told her, "You and Will, you're my best friends, you always have been and you always will be no matter how grown up we get or who we date or anything"

"I know" Buffy smiled as the four stopped by their lockers, "And I am happy, Xand, really happy. So much I feel like I'm just gonna burst with it"

"Please don't" he urged her with a jokey smile as Anya finally brought her attention back to her man.

"We should get going" he said, taking Xander by the arm and dragging him down the hall, "All this talk about men and romance makes me want to... really get to class early" she said over-obviously with a look at her boyfriend that both girls would've seen from a mile away anyway.

"God help anybody that stands in their way of the Janitor's closet" Buffy shook her head, smiling as she turned to Willow. Her expression soon changed when she realised how sad the red-head still looked.

"Will, y'know no guy is worth this" she told her friend as she watched her push a book into her locker and take two others out, "If your Internet guy is Wesley then he's probably just nervous like you, and if it's not, well, then, maybe he's a little offended that you thought it was, maybe he doesn't think he can live up to your expectations if that's the kind of guy you want"

"You really think it might not be him?" Willow asked, feeling bad for the fact she wanted it to be now. Bikin' Boy was so cool, and they got along so well. If he wasn't Wesley she knew it shouldn't matter, after all he'd never given her the time of day before, and this guy, he really liked her. Still, she did wish she was right, that they were one and the same, it'd make things so perfect.

"Hey, I have an idea" Buffy said suddenly, "Why don't I ask him?" she suggested as Willow's eyes went wide.

"Buffy!" she exclaimed, "We're not in the second grade anymore" she reminded her friend, "but... well, I guess you could ask, just subtly or something?" she suggested, with a shy smile. It was kind of silly but in all honesty it was the best solution she could find right now that didn't involve her being totally embarrassed or similar.

The bell rang over their heads and they were forced to go in different directions but Buffy promised Willow as they parted she would do her best to track down Wesley at some point today and find out once and for all if he really was Bikin' Boy. She planned to do it before last period too, when Anya had history class. She just knew Xander's girlfriend would have no problem with making an idiot out of herself, Wesley, and Willow by asking inappropriate question in front of the entire class - that would most definitely not be of the good.

* * *

Faith was bored, a little angry, and quite severely drunk, which was quite a feat considering it wasn't even lunch-time yet. Mid-morning TV was starting to bore her, but then with all the thoughts racing through her head she was barely seeing or hearing the re-run of Jerry Springer and the various freaks on his show. Talk shows, they were for crazy people, and yet Faith considered how easily her twisted family might appear on one.

An episode to reunite fathers and daughters would suit her, if she actually wanted to find hers. Maybe a show that'd prove she and Buffy weren't sisters, even though she knew they really were. The little blonde was certainly proving they were related, if the deceit and betrayal Faith thought she was committing was real. Then she struck on the real title the family's episode of Springer would really have - 'My sister is sleeping with my lover, and although I don't love him, I want to scratch her eyes out' - yeah, that was a good title, Faith considered as she flung her head back and gulped down another mouthful of Spike's bourbon. She hated it, but it was the only alcohol they had in the place right now, and getting properly dressed to go out was too much like hard work. Instead she lie on the couch, staring unseeing at the TV, drinking herself into oblivion and thinking back over her life and the problems in it.

Buffy. She was becoming a huge problem, though Faith had rarely considered her as such before. Sure, it was a pain in the ass that she got more attention sometimes, and that no matter what she did she always got away with it, whilst Faith herself was punished for even the most minor crime. Of course it felt like that to Faith because she wanted it too, because that made it okay for her to act out, gave her an excuse for being wild and bad. It wasn't entirely true. The fact of the matter was Buffy rarely misbehaved and that was why she got treats and presents, and much less harsh punishments.

Now she was doing something wrong. She was putting on a performance worthy of one of Faith's own, and it seemed nobody knew. If their Mom and Giles knew what their little princess were up to, Faith had no doubt they'd hit the ceiling, and then probably blame her for being a bad influence. She shook her head as she realised how very true that thought was and took another swig from the bottle in her hand.

Then there was Spike. He was one of the more decent guys she'd been with, whilst he liked a good time, much like she herself did, he wasn't the particularly violent type, not with women at least, and he treated her decent regardless of whether he got his way with her or not.

They lived together fairly well, no huge arguments to speak of and when they fell out they just fell into bed later on and made it up. They were just honest about what they felt and what they wanted. They weren't in love, Faith wasn't sure such a feeling truly existed, and if it did she wasn't so sure she was capable of it. Spike had never professed to care for her that way either, though he did care. They loved each other in their way, they were friends of a sort, and that suited them both.

They had an agreement - if they got bored, then they got out. If something better came along they'd admit it and part amicably. Faith would've been okay with that, but no, Spike had to mess it up, he had to started playing around behind her back and worse than that, he had to choose her sister to do it with.

What really bugged Faith was two things, one, that Spike would prey on her baby sister after so many times telling her he wasn't that type of guy, and two, that Buffy would betray her like this. Sure, she knew the little blonde wasn't quite the innocent princess that her parents thought she was, but she never would've put her and Spike together, in an affair sense or any other. He was badass, black leather, and alcohol, she was princess-perfect, glitter nail polish, and diet soda. It didn't seem much like a match made in heaven which meant either Buffy had learnt to be bad, or Spike had decided to be a sleaze and bed sisters for kicks. Neither explanation appealed.

"What the hell...?" Faith complained as something started rattling and humming somewhere beneath her. Fishing between the sofa cushions she found a cell-phone, Spike's cell-phone, that he must've left behind when he went to work this morning.

With a glance towards the door as if she expected to be caught red-headed, Faith pushed the button to open the new message that had just come in.

'Spike, I can't stop thinking about last night, thank you so much, it was amazing. When can I see you again? Buffy xx'

A black cloud fell over Faith's face as she read the message and her grip tightened on the cell, her knuckles going white before she finally let out a yell and threw the item against the wall where it smashed into pieces.

Everything she had, every good thing, everything she liked, Buffy would come along and take it from her. She had all the good stuff, all the best toys when they were kids, got away with everything, and now she thought she was going to start taking guys away from Faith, the one thing she'd always known how to get and keep if she wanted to?

"No way, no frickin' way" Faith said to herself, mostly the alcohol talking by now as she took another drink and slammed the bottle down on the table. This was war.

_To Be Continued..._


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N : Just when you thought no more drama would fit in this fic...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter1 )**_

Chapter 24

Buffy felt a little silly hanging around in the library during her free period. Not that she was too dumb to be amongst so many books, okay she wasn't as smart as Willow but she did alright in pretty much all her subjects. It helped that her Dad was such a brain and was always willing to help her with her homework. Still, the library was not a place she was often seen, a fact proven by the librarian who looked at her with some suspicion when he caught her wandering up and down the shelves, apparently lost.

"Can I help you at all?" she asked and Buffy was only mildly surprised to find she'd run across another English person, there seemed to be a lot of them around lately.

"No thanks... Ms Post" she said with a smile as she read the name on the badge pinned to the librarians shirt, "I was just, looking for this" she said, not actually looking at the book she'd pulled off the random shelf at her side.

"Really?" Ms Post checked as she stared at both Buffy and the volume in her hand, "And exactly how long have you been studying the mating and reproduction process of the Indian elephant?" she asked, almost looking amused, but apparently not finding it quite as funny as the boy sat a few feet away who was trying to hide the fact he was laughing at her expense.

"Okay, you caught me" Buffy smiled at the librarian as she handed the book to her, "I'm pretty much a library virgin" she admitted, "Honestly, I just come here for the guys" she said with a wink as she side-stepped away from Ms Post and crossed to where the laughing boy was sitting, dropping down onto the seat opposite him. His expression was immediately serious.

"I... I wasn't laughing at... I'm terribly sorry" Wesley rambled in broken sentences, "I'll go" he decided, picking up his notebook and making the leave.

Buffy caught hold of his arm across the table and pulled him back.

"No, don't leave" she urged him, "I actually need to ask you something"

"Is it about... elephants?" he asked with a slight smile, hoping his joke would go down well.

A smile graced Buffy's lips once again as she rolled her eyes and told him that no, that was not what the question was about.

"Actually, it's about the Internet" she began, "Y'know how you can meet people, talk to them, they could be millions of miles away but you can make such a connection..." she said, hoping he picked up on what she meant without her actually having to commit the cliché and ask him if he liked her friend or not.

"Ah, then this is about Willow, I presume?" he checked, removing his glasses and looking down at the table, "I'm afraid the connection we made might not be strong enough" he said sadly and Buffy tried to see his face.

"So, you are Bikin' Boy right?" she asked, "I mean, you're Spike's cousin, he told me how he taught you to ride a motorcycle and everything, and from the way this Internet guy of Willow's talks about his cousin..."

"It makes sense that you would figure out who I was via Spike" he smiled sadly as he looked up once again, "No woman ever paid attention to me that he didn't already know" he said with a look that made Buffy feel terribly sorry for him.

It seemed that Spike had tried to help his cousin out by setting him up with women, but it wasn't the same when you knew the other person wasn't really there for your sake, just because they were doing a favour for another.

"Wesley, Willow doesn't know Spike, at least not really" she explained, "And she started to like you a long time ago, before any of us knew your cousin, I swear"

"She actually likes me?" he checked, "Or is this one of those awful jokes?" he checked.

"Okay, so I don't know what kind of person you think I am but just because I don't know you does not mean I would tell you a person liked you when they don't" she said snippily, "I leave that kind of nasty trick to people like Cordelia, okay?"

"I am sorry if I offended you at all" Wesley apologised, "It's just so very hard to believe that a girl like Willow... She is perfection to me, I've wanted to get to know her for so long, but, but like always I was afraid to, to face the music, as it were. It comes from being made a fool of too many times I suppose" he told her and Buffy felt so bad for him.

At the same time she wondered what his problem really was. It wasn't as if Willow was Miss Unaccessible. She got along with anyone who took the time to talk to her, and she had time for everybody.

"Look, let's simple this up" Buffy sighed, "Willow really likes you, and it seems like you really like her, so just go talk to her, please?" she urged him.

"I suppose it should be a comfort to know I have her friend's blessing to pursue her" he smiled and Buffy couldn't help but grin herself at his terribly British turn of phrase.

"I know you're a good guy" she shrugged, "Willow hasn't stopped talking about the wonder that is 'Bikin' Boy'" she air quoted, "and before that she was just crazy for you anyway. Besides, Spike told me so much that..."

"You seem to have spent a lot of time talking to my cousin" Wesley frowned slightly, usually not the kind of person to interrupt but then Buffy really didn't look like the type of girl that Spike would associate with.

"Um, yeah, well..." she said awkwardly, realising what she'd just walked into.

Of course she could say that she knew the bleached blond because her half-sister Faith lived with him, which of course was how they'd originally met, but that wouldn't account for her having talked to him about Wes or anything.

"And you're Willow's best friend..." he said thoughtfully, as the pieces of the jigsaw dropped into his head, much as they had with Willow last night when she'd figured out his identity, "You're her" he gasped suddenly, "The reason Spike is so happy and yet so secretive. He's seeing you"

"No, no way, no, I just..." she said firmly but not convincingly enough as she sighed, "Okay, yes, me and Spike are together, but you cannot tell anybody" she said, pleading with her eyes for him to be kind, "If anybody found out..."

"They won't hear it from me" he assured her, "Though if his girlfriend were to find out, well, she doesn't sound like the type of person one would wish to upset"

"Tell me about it" Buffy rolled her eyes, deciding that right now there was no need to mention that she knew that girl all too well, Wesley might judge her on it and she could really use not being judged right now, "So anyway, about Willow" she continued, glad to change the subject back to the original topic, "You'll talk to her right? Tell her she was right, that you are her Net guy and everything?"

"Er, yes" Wes said shakily, "Yes, indeed, I shall"

"Today" Buffy pressed the point, "You'll talk to her today, right?"

"As soon as that?" he said nervously and the blonde repressed further rolling of her eyes.

"Okay, tomorrow morning, before class" she tried, "And if you don't put her out of her misery then I might just have to kill you" she said frustratedly, though obviously not serious at all. This whole situation was driving her crazy.

'Why can't people who like each other just say they like each other and be together?' she asked herself as she walked out of the library, checking her phone again and sadly realising that Spike had yet to reply to her text message.

* * *

"Faith!" Spike called as he came into the apartment after work, "You about, luv?" he checked.

"Hey" she appeared from the bathroom, looking decidedly grim-faced as she crossed the couch and sat down with a thump.

"You alright, pet?" Spike asked her with a slight frown, his heart racing a bit as he realised what might be wrong, that somehow she might've found out about him and Buffy. If that was the case though, he doubted she'd look so sad, more likely angry and uncontrollably violent.

"You know a reason why I shouldn't be?" she asked eyes glued to the TV that she wasn't even watching, she just needed somewhere else to focus her eyes right now.

"Alright then" Spike said, turning away, knowing if she was in one of her moods, the reason for it was immaterial, she was just best left along til she got over it, "One question though, luv" he said, turning back, realising why he'd called for her attention in the first place, "You haven't seen my phone lyin' about anywhere have you? I can't find the buggering thing and..." he stopped when he realised she'd raised her arm and was pointing past him at the wall, without a word.

Spike turned, following the direction in which her finger was pointing and coming to rest on a black scuff mark on the wall. A pile of broken electronic parts and shattered plastic lay on the floor below and he realised as he picked it up, it was what was left of his cell-phone.

"What the bleedin' hell happened here?" he asked, anger creeping into his tone all too fast, "Did you do this?" he asked Faith, but she didn't even look at him, "Oi, I'm talking to you!" he told her, standing between her and the TV, "What the soddin' hell have you done, you silly bint?!" he asked her, as Faith got to her feet.

"So I smashed a phone, big deal" she yelled in his face, "You work enough lately, you got enough cash, buy a new one!"

"I don't want a new one" Spike told her, forcing his anger down as much as he could as Faith stormed across to the kitchen area and he followed, "I want a bloody good explanation as to why this one is in bits!" he told her as Faith slammed a couple of cabinet doors before spinning round to face him.

"Figure it out, dumbass!" she shot back at him, "I get bored, I get destructive, okay?" she reminded him, "You don't understand, go ask my parents what a hell-bitch I am. I guarantee they'll tell you" she shouted, trying to push past him, but he grabbed her wrist and yanked her back.

"Sometimes, Lehane, I swear to God I don't know why I put up with you!" he told her, his tone and expression both angry and nasty.

Her eyes were full of fury as she got up in his face once again, an almost evil smile spreading across her lips.

"Well, wouldn't now just be the perfect time to kick me out?" she said, no longer yelling but scaring Spike a little nonetheless.

She had this way of looking, of talking, it was worthy of someone way more villainous than she ought to be.

"What the soddin' hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked, warily as she tore her wrist from his grasp, her eyes never leaving his.

"Figure it out, dumbass" she repeated, but it was quite clear Spike was at a loss as to understand, "I'm pregnant, Spike" she told him at last, "I'm having your kid"

_To Be Continued..._


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N : Time for another drama-filled chapter!  
****_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_**

Chapter 25

Buffy wasn't too thrilled when the bell rang signalling the end of the day, and still she hadn't heard from Spike. She wanted to talk to Willow or Xander about it, but she knew just what they'd say. They were both still vary wary of their best friend dating someone like Spike, and Buffy knew that Xander most especially was just waiting for a chance to diss her man. She walked out of school with her head down as she checked her cell one more time only to sigh sadly when she realised she had still received no new messages.

So focused on her phone, Buffy didn't notice the car parked across the street or the guy leaning on it who called to her the moment he realised she was there.

"Spike?" she was surprised to see he'd come to pick her up, after all theirs was supposed to be a secret relationship.

It was lucky that only Willow and Xander had really noticed him waiting there for her and with barely a glance to make sure no-one was watching she dived into his arms, hugging him tight.

For a while there, though she hated herself for thinking it, she'd wondered if her relationship with Spike was turning out to be one of those awful tales of an innocent young girl deflowered by a guy who wanted her only for the sake of putting another virginal notch on his headboard. She was thrilled to see him here waiting for her now, proving her wrong. He did still want to see her, he really did love her like he'd told her, at least she thought so until she reached up to kiss him and he shied away.

"Spike?" she frowned, "Is something wrong?" she checked, "I sent you a couple of messages..."

"My phones broken" he told her flatly, "Get in the car would you, luv?" he asked her, "We can't talk here"

Buffy nodded in agreement and they both got into his DeSoto, though the little blonde wasn't thrilled by the way Spike was acting. Those feelings of dread she'd almost managed to quash were now back full force, making her wonder if she'd really been a fool all this time, if Spike never loved her at all.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, tears evident in her voice, "Is it about last night?" she checked, "Was I not... good?" she said shakily, feeling awful.

Spike looked across at her in the passenger seat and he felt sick. He hated himself right now, he hated himself for ever getting involved with Buffy because now he had to break her heart. He knew from the beginning this relationship was going to lead them both to a bad situation. It was bound to end in disaster and here it was, the train wreck that he ought to have known was coming and yet had told himself they could maybe, just maybe, manage to avoid.

"Buffy, luv" he said, reaching across to take her hand in his, she was wary of letting him do so but allowed him after a moments hesitation, "Sweetheart, last night was bloody perfect. You weren't a disappointment, or anything like that, I swear to you. I love you, pet" he reminded her, reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear, "You mean the bloody world to me, you know that, don't you?" he checked.

All Buffy could do was nod in response, and smile as she realised what an idiot she was being. How she could ever accuse this man of messing her around, she had no idea. Just as soon as she looked into his eyes she could see the sincerity and love that was always there. Their relationship was awkward, the age difference being just a small factor when their connection via her sister was considered, but that didn't mean they didn't love each other, that was as real as anything could be.

"I love you too" she assured him, though of course he already knew, "When you didn't call me or anything... I know it's awful, but I was so afraid that..." she trailed away, feeling emotional and terribly guilty for ever thinking what she had anyway.

Spike knew what she was getting at and he closed his eyes taking a deep breath, before he spoke again. He couldn't look at her when he said this, he didn't know how. He simply couldn't watch her face when he broke her heart, it was too hard. As tough as he seemed to be, this he couldn't bear.

"Buffy, we can't see each other anymore" he said slowly opening his eyes only when he was done. The look on her face was the one he'd been dreading, that of shock and overwhelming pain.

"What?" she squeaked, her voice abandoning her as tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

"Things have changed, luv, we can't... This thing between us, it just can't go on" Spike told her, feeling terribly guilty and just as bad as she did about them having to break up, though being a man and the way he was he just didn't show it the same.

"What's changed?" she asked, anger creeping in amongst the sadness she was feeling, "What are these things that have changed, Spike?!" she demanded to know, "You just told me it wasn't about last night, you just said you loved me!"

"And I bloody do!" he assured her, "For God sake, Buffy, I love you more than I ever knew I could love anyone" he told her, getting as loud as she was as he looked straight into her eyes, his hands holding her face making sure she was hearing him, "Breaks my heart knowin' I'm bloody hurting you" he said, voice softening as he wiped away her tears with his thumbs only to watch more fall down in their place.

"Then why?" she asked, voice still shaking, "Why are you doing this to us?" she wanted to know.

"Faith's pregnant" he said sadly, his hands falling away from her face as he turned straight in his seat and looked out through the car windshield, "She told me just now"

"Oh my God" Buffy gasped as a million thoughts shot through her head.

Her sister was pregnant, having a baby, and the father was Spike, her own boyfriend who was cheating on Faith with her. Last night the father of her future niece or nephew was in her bed, taking her to heaven, whilst her sister stayed home alone, probably upset or angry and so confused.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Spike said suddenly, slamming his hand on the steering wheel and cursing when his hand stung from the force, "We were always so bloody careful"

Laughter from the seat beside him caught his attention and he was stunned to realise it really was Buffy, chuckling away like she'd just heard the best of jokes though her earlier tear tracks remained obvious.

"It's perfect" she said, still giggling, though it was clear by now there was no humour at all in her laughter, "Just like sisters, I wanted what she had, I got my way, and then Faith just ruins everything" she shook her head, as she calmed down some, "It's been the same since we were little kids" she told Spike who listened intently, glad she was over her hysterics, "I'd want some toy for Christmas, I remember one year it was this doll, and Faith, she wanted something violent or dangerous. I got my dream gift, Mom wouldn't buy hers, she said it wasn't appropriate or something. Before the day was out I'd lost my doll and when I got it back she was ruined" she laughed once more, lack of real humour still evident, "It's always the same"

"Don't blame her, luv" Spike said with a shake of his head, "This is all my stupid bloody fault" he explained, "I should've been honest with the both of you from the start, then none of this could've happened"

"How did this happen?" Buffy asked suddenly, "If you were so careful, how could it?" she wanted to know.

"Nothings foolproof, luv" Spike shook his head sadly, "Nothing's a hundred percent reliable..."

"Oh God" Buffy cried, "What if I'm pregnant too?" she wanted to know, "I mean, you're right, condoms don't always work, they told us in sex ed, and I mean it's obvious, I just didn't..." she rambled on, getting a little hysterical again.

Spike reached for her hands and made her face him.

"Buffy, luv, you're not" he assured her, "You're not pregnant, the chances of it are beyond microscopic" he told her.

"I'll bet Faith thought the same thing" she said, beginning to sob again and Spike pulled her across the seat into his arms.

She cried into his chest, her heart breaking as she realised this was an impossible situation. If Faith was pregnant, Spike had to stay with her. She knew the pain and hardship their own mother had been through, left to bring up a child by herself. Spike wasn't the type to walk away from his responsibilites, and even if he were, there was no way Buffy could ever be with him.

"What've I done to you?" he said sadly as he held her tight to him, "The both of you, I should've got out of your lives the minute I realised..." he stopped, closing his eyes, knowing he was only making things worse with his words.

Of course it didn't make what he said any the less true. If he'd only have walked away, from Faith and Buffy, the moment he realised he was falling for the blonde. The older girl would've bounced back easy enough if he'd've broken things off back then, and the younger would probably have moved on to the next unsuspecting young man, developing a crush that'd come to nothing as she grew up and saw the world through different eyes.

As it was, he'd doomed them all to despair. He had to stay with Faith, he had to help her any way he could. He couldn't think that she'd want the child she carried but from the way she'd spoken it seemed she had no real plan to rid herself of it.

Neither Buffy or Spike could find words to say as they sat in the car, wrapped in each others arms, knowing the moment they let go was the moment they must say goodbye forever. Though their paths would probably cross a million times in the future, they could never be together. They must always be at arms length, learn to be more like brother and sister than the lovers they really were. They were doomed to live with this heart ache they felt forever. Neither of them could see an easy way out.

* * *

"See you tomorrow, Xand" Willow forced a smile as she waved to her friend and headed into her house.

She sighed as she went through to her bedroom and sat down on her bed with a thump. The night held no excitement, only homework and then bed. With Bikin' Boy apparently not willing to talk to her anymore, and the fact he might or might not be Wesley Wyndham Pryce still very much undecided, she couldn't summon the energy to even go near her computer. The Internet used to be exciting and fun, now it and the equipment used to access it taunted her and made her feel bad.

She finally had a chance to be like every other girl, to have a boyfriend who she really liked and who really liked her back just the same. She'd come so very close, and it seemed now to have been snatched away.

With another heavy sigh, Willow opened her books and set to work on her homework. By the time she'd completed all her assignments plus the extra-credit essays she'd requested, and had dinner, it was dark outside, and she sat forlornly on her bed, wondering if she should call Buffy for a chat. She could use a friend to talk to right now, about anything other than the lack of men in her life, but then she remembered that Buffy did have a man in her life, and she was probably too busy talking to or spending time with him. The same could be said of Xander whom Willow knew for a fact was out with Anya tonight.

"Everybody has someone but me" she said sadly to herself, when suddenly there was a beep and a flash on her computer screen. She physically jumped at the sudden sound and movement, and hurried over to her computer when she realised she'd received an email.

"Bikin' Boy" she gasped as she realised who it was from, and quickly clicked on the message, opening it up, "'It is time you knew the truth about me'" she read aloud in a whisper so her parents would not hear, "'Tomorrow, before school, I will meet you by the fountain in the park across the street'"

Willow was grinning from ear to ear as she re-read the message six times at least. Bikin' Boy wanted to meet her, and whether he was Wesley or not, right now she didn't care, she just so wanted to meet her man and find out who he really was. Whomever he might be he must like her, or he wouldn't ask to meet her like this. Falling back onto her bed, she was still smiling like an idiot as she pictured a perfect scene in her head. It would be daylight and there would be plenty of people around in the middle of a public place, so she need not fear that the person she would meet might harm her, not that she ever thought he would, but tricks were easily played via the web and she was very aware of that fact, since her mother impressed it upon her daily.

In her minds eye, Willow saw a million ways tomorrows meeting might go, but all of them ended the same way, and she blushed just at the very idea of it. Still, she couldn't wait for the morning to come, just knowing tonight would be another where she probably wouldn't sleep so well, but for much more pleasant reasons than the night before.

_To Be Continued..._


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N : This fic is definitely turning into a rollercoaster - more ups and downs still to come!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 26

"What am I doing?" Willow asked herself as she headed for school the next morning.

Last night she'd started out so excited about finally meeting Bikin' Boy and finding out who he really was. Now she was petrified, wondering just how much of an idiot she might make of herself. She didn't want to think it of the boy she'd met online, who seemed in all honesty to be Wesley Wyndham-Pryce the guy she'd had a crush on since forever, but she couldn't help listening to that little voice in her head that said this might still be some kind of joke. People were cruel, and some people online were beyond weird. Buffy and Xander had been telling Willow for days and weeks to be careful about who she talked to and never agree to meet anyone, not even the famous Bikin' Boy, without taking someone with her to a busy place where nothing bad could happen.

As it was she had indeed agreed to meet this boy alone, and in a park, but this park was opposite the High School which would be filling up with people as she arrived. She was in no danger, and yet she knew her friends would not see it that way. That was why she'd sent both Xander and Buffy a text message each, saying she was headed into school early to study and wouldn't be walking with them as she often did.

Since she'd received no reply from either of them she assumed they just accepted her message without a thought. It wasn't so strange, anyway, she had gone into the library early to study before, or stayed late on occasion.

Now Willow almost wished her study ruse was true as she neared the park and realised her palms were sweating and she was literally shaking with nerves and excitement combined. This could be it, the defining moment when she met the man of her dreams, like when Juliet first met Romeo, or Baby first laid eyes on Johnny, or when Buffy and Spike came face to face with each other for the very first time. An epic romance might begin today, although Willow doubted it would ever be a story that'd mean much to anyone else, it'd change her life that was for sure.

With a deep breath she entered the gates of the park and headed across towards the fountain. She could see nobody there yet, but then she was earlier then she'd originally intended to be...

"Hey" said a voice behind her an she spun around fast almost knocking herself over. A pair of male arms shot out to steady her and the owner apologised for having startled her.

"Oz?" she was stunned to see him, her mind racing as she considered the possibility that this was the guy she was supposed to meet. Could he really be...?

"What are you doing over here?" he asked her with a look, "You remember that school's on the opposite side of the street, right?" he said with a smile and she nodded, also grinning as she realised her mistake. Oz wasn't Bikin' Boy, if he was he wouldn't ask why she was here.

"Yes, I er... I was just waiting for someone" she told him as she managed to balance her weight on her own two feet once again and his hands fell away from her arms.

"That's cool" Oz nodded, "I was just walking" he told her, "Letting the inspiration flow for the new song"

"Great" Willow nodded, "I was..." she stopped mid -sentence as she heard a sound behind her and both she and Oz turned to see where it was coming from.

The hum of an engine grew to a growl as someone on a motorcycle approached them, swinging down the winding path that cut across the park towards the fountain.

"This your guy?" Oz checked, frowning slightly.

Willow didn't seem the type to be meeting bikers in the park. She didn't answer at first, just stared until the bike came to a halt a couple of feet in front of her, the rider killed the engine and took off the helmet that had so far prevented her from seeing his face.

"Oh yeah" Willow grinned, speaking to Oz though staring at Wesley, "That's him" she said nodding madly as the Senior walked away, leaving what appeared to be the biggest geek in the eleventh grade, staring down from a motorcycle at maybe the sweetest girl Oz had ever met. Maybe in another world it would've been him that Willow had eyes for, but he could deal with the two of them just being friends, they were too different to be anything else.

"Hello, Willow" Wesley said, surprisingly nervously for a guy who'd made such a cool entrance.

"Hey" she continued to grin as if she had a hanger stuck in her mouth forcing it into that position, "It's really you" she said, shaking her head slightly in astonishment, "I mean, obviously you're you, and nobody else, but I wasn't sure if you was you and when I asked you, you didn't seem to be you, and..."

"Willow" he interrupted her rambling before her head exploded, as he dismounted from his bike and moved to stand before her, "I am so very sorry if I offended you at all, or made things difficult with my secrecy. Any normal person would've just told you how they felt, I'm sure"

"Then I guess I'm not so normal either" she said, shifting nervously in front of him, glancing at the floor and back up, "I've kind of liked you for a while now, before the Internet thing even" she admitted and he smiled at that.

Buffy had suggested to him that Willow liked him for him before she'd ever started conversing with him online, but until he heard these words from Willow's own lips he wouldn't allow himself to believe it.

"Well then" Wes smiled, feeling just about as silly as she did, "Where do we go from here do you think?" he asked her and she glanced across the street.

"Um, well, school, I guess" she smiled at her own little joke, after all they both knew very well that his question was not meant to be taken quite so literally.

Still, they did have to go across to the Sunnydale High building, neither was willing to be late for class. They were both smiling nervously as they walked next to each other, Wesley pushing his bike. He wasn't walking properly and Willow couldn't help but ask if he was okay.

"Ah, yes" he told her, "That is to say... um, these leather pants give me some problems" he admitted and her eyes went wide, her face reddening as much as his as she realised what he meant.

"Maybe you should change when we get inside" she suggested, stifling a giggle.

Wesley couldn't help but laugh himself and the two looked so completey happy as they crossed the street and headed into the school grounds together.

* * *

"I could make you some soup if you feel up to eating" Joyce offered as she sat on the edge of Buffy's bed, her daughter having claimed she was sick and couldn't attend school today.

From what Joyce had seen she certainly believed that Buffy was suffering, she looked awful; tired with red eyes and no appetite at all since she got home from school the day before. Now she could no longer see the young girls face as she laid in the bed with her back to her, curled down beneath the duvet as if she were trying to hide away.

"I'm not hungry" Buffy croaked out, her throat sounding hoarse.

She didn't have a fever as far as her mother could tell, but she certainly wasn't herself. It created a problem since Joyce really ought to be at work, and her husband had already left.

"I suppose I should call the gallery and let them know I won't be in today if you're sick" she sighed, knowing her co-workers would not be best pleased, after all a huge shipment was due to arrive today that would need checking and...

"You can go" Buffy told her, still not looking at her mother, "I think, I just need to sleep some more is all, and I'll eat later, I promise" she said, not sounding happy or well but at least slightly less defeatist than she might.

It didn't take long for Joyce to accept the proposition and leave her baby girl to fend for herself. She did, however, put everything Buffy might need within easy reaching distance - her cell phone, a glass of water, some tissue, a packet of cookies. Kissing her daughter on the top of the head she told her to rest up and promised she'd be back a soon as she could.

Buffy said nothing but waited for her mother to leave, closing the door behind her. It was only when she was alone she could let her tears flow freely once again. She'd barely stopped crying since Spike had told her what had happened, the dreadful news that her half-sister Faith was pregnant with his child.

Last night no sleep had come to Buffy as she went over everything in her head, over and over til it made her dizzy. She was going to be an aunt to a child her own lover had made with her sister. She couldn't feel betrayed, of course she couldn't, after all Spike had been with Faith long before he'd ever met Buffy. The little blonde knew that her sister for once was not to blame for what had happened, and yet a part of her wanted to think it. She wanted to blame Faith because if she didn't, who else was there?

To blame Spike went against everything else she felt. Buffy loved that man so much, the feeling was almost completely overpowering. She knew he loved her too, and two nights ago, the one they'd spent together, had been the greatest experience of her life. She'd never felt so loved, so alive, so much like a woman. Now she felt the total opposite, inside she was dying, and on the outside she appeared as a child, crying buckets over a man she never should have tangled with.

It would be easier, she knew, if he'd cheated on her, if she hadn't known he was seeing someone else or perhaps if that person was not the sister she loved. Her and Faith, they didn't see eye-to-eye, but they loved each other. Buffy was sure nobody would believe it if they knew the whole story, but it was true. How the little blonde had managed to go behind Faith's back in such a way when she loved her half-sister so much was a mystery even to Buffy herself. She hated herself for being that person, the mistress, the other woman, but she was so desperately in love with Spike, she rarely thought of herself as such.

In truth, it seemed to her that Faith was more the other person in the relationship, the spare part that got in the way. After all, Buffy knew her sister was not really capable of loving a man, only using him, and though Spike had affection for the brunette with whom he lived, he wasn't in love with her. He'd said as much and it was evident to all from the way he spoke to her and about her.

As she lay in bed thinking it all over again, Buffy found her thought interrupted by the jangle of her cell phone receiving a message. Reaching across to pick it up and check the screen, she frowned at the 'unknown number' display then took in a sharp breath a she realised it was Spike who was text messaging her.

'Buffy, wanted to say again I'm so sorry, please let me know you're okay, love Spike'

She read it twice as tears filled her eyes, blinding her once again. Love. He'd written it before, he'd said it to her, and he'd proved it with his body. She believed in that love as much as she believed in anything and perhaps that was what hurt the most. She could've got over this eventually if she knew it was all fake, if he didn't really love her, if she truly felt nothing for him. Now they both must suffer, both learning to live at arms length as friends and nothing more, whilst Faith sat in between them with his child.

Buffy could scarce imagine her sister as a mother, and yet despite her hard and aggressive nature, the blonde did not believe Faith capable of terminating the permanency either, not just on a whim because she thought it was inconvenient. Her own father hadn't wanted her, and she often accused Joyce and Giles of the same. There was no way she could get rid of a baby that was partly her, and no possible way she could raise one alone.

Spike would have to stand by her, and Buffy knew why he'd do it too. Despite his rough appearance, he was the kindest, sweetest man she knew. He would own up to his mistakes, keep his word, he would stick with Faith through all this, because he knew it was the right thing to do.

Buffy's thumb hovered over the key pad of her cell phone as she considered how to reply. In the end she knew what she must say and her hand was shaking as she pressed the keys.

'Spike. I'm fine. Don't contact me again. We both know it's over. Buffy'

It killed her to admit it like that, the fact that they really were over, but they'd already agreed it had to be so and Buffy would like as clean a break as she could get. She'd have to see Spike, see him with Faith and their baby in a few months time, but right now she needed some distance, and some time. If she was going to get over this it was going to take some serious effort, and she doubted her tears were anywhere near over yet.

_To Be Continued..._


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N : Two updates this week! What lucky readers you are! ;-)  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 27

"Willow?" Wesley looked worried as he came over to her in the cafeteria and sat down opposite.

"Oh, hey Wesley" she smiled at him, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"I've been calling your name" he told her, "When you didn't answer I thought... well, I confess, I thought perhaps you had changed your mind about me"

"Oh, no way" she assured him, reaching her hand across the table and putting it on top of his without thinking. She removed it again a second later when they both realised what she'd done, "I-I'm just a little worried about my friend, Buffy"

"Indeed" Wesley nodded, relieved to hear he was not the reason for Willow's apparent distress, "Is she not at school today?"

"No, she's sick today" the red-head explained, "At least that's what Xander told me her Mom said. I'm actually kinda worried though"

"Worried? In what way?" Wesley asked, looking appropriately concerned again.

He hated to think Willow would be upset by anything, she meant a great deal to him.

"I don't know" she admitted, "It's just, she and Spike, they got... y'know, close" she explained awkwardly, "Then he didn't call her all day, and yesterday he picked her up after school, and now Buffy's sick"

"Oh dear" Wesley sighed, "Unfortunately it does seem as if my cousin has perhaps not let her down as gently as he should have"

"I kinda hoped he wouldn't let her down at all" Willow sighed too, "I mean, no offence intended to your cousin or anything, I'm sure he's super-nice, but if he's with Faith, he's probably not long term relationship guy, and Buffy... she really wanted happily ever after"

"I'm sorry" her as-yet-undefined-boyfriend sympathised, "I could perhaps talk to Spike about the matter?" he offered, "It's been a while since we spent any time together, I'm sure I could convince him we should" he considered, "If it would put your mind at rest?"

"That's so sweet" Willow smiled and Wes did the same as his hand crept across the table and covered hers.

He'd do anything that would make her look at him like that, he cared about her so much.

* * *

Anya had quite easily convinced Xander that since they both had a free and then lunch they may as well go back to his house to be alone. In his bedroom, situated in the basement, they had started out half-heartedly studying before their feelings for each other took over and they started making out. They were sitting on the end of the bed, hands creeping into clothing, Anya's fingers going for the fastening of his pants...

"Hey, er, how about a soda or something?" Xander suggested as he suddenly pulled out of her grasp, got to his feet, and moved away.

Anya looked far from impressed and though he already knew the answer, he asked what the problem was.

"You! You're becoming the problem, Xander!" his girlfriend told him, her tone somewhere between sad and angry, "Every time we get close, just as soon as I think we might be nearing copulation you back away, and I don't understand why" she said, shaking her head, "I mean, you're obviously attracted to me, and I'm attracted to you, for God sakes I'm pretty certain I'm in love with you, and I know everything's in working order on both sides, so when are we ever going to get down to actually doing it!"

"Ahn..." Xander sighed, turning away from her.

Something was bothering him, and something was stopping him from being with her. It was annoying Anya to no end and she was determined that this problem be resolved. She was quite sick of waiting around for the orgasms that she craved, and whilst she'd rather not be looking elsewhere she'd be forced to if Xander wouldn't deliver.

"Xander, please" she urged him, "Please just tell me what's wrong. It makes me nervous and uncomfortable that you won't be with me. I keep thinking that you want to be, I mean, you seem like you do but..."

"I do" he interrupted her, "Anya, honestly, you're beautiful and I... I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you too, it's just..."

"It's just, what?" she asked, desperate to solve this once and for all, "Is it... Are you a virgin, Xander?" she suddenly realised that could be the problem, since he was kind of shy and everything.

"No, no, so not the problem!" he protested strongly, and she really believed him.

She'd been with boys before that lied about these things, there was a look in their eyes she'd learnt to identify. That look wasn't in Xander's eyes, so if that wasn't his problem...?

"The problem kind of is that I'm not" he explained rather badly, "I mean, I've done it before, but only one time, and... and not with anybody, y'know, special"

"You mean, I'm special?" Anya asked, the anger and confusion on her face melting into an almost coy smile, "You really think that?"

"Sure I do" Xander agreed, "And I realise I'm actually turning into a girl as I say this..." he smiled nervously as he began to ramble a little, "but I kinda want this, us being together, to be special too, and not like with Faith, because..."

"Faith?!" Anya exploded slightly, "You and Buffy's sister, Faith?!" she gasped.

"Kinda, yeah" he laughed more out of fear than humour.

He'd never told anybody about how he lost his virginity. He knew Buffy and Willow would go crazy if he ever confessed to what had happened one night when he'd headed over to the Giles' house looking for his blonde friend, only to find nobody was home but Faith. She was bored and a little drunk, and Xander had been dragged into the house an innocent boy and ejected a little while later as a rather confused, half-dressed young man.

A year on, he was faced with the fact that he finally had a girl in his life that he was pretty sure he loved. He wanted to be with her, she wanted to be with him, following his confession he honestly wondered what had stopped him just doing what came naturally. It wasn't like he expected Anya to tell him about any or all the men she'd slept with before, and yet he considered maybe that was his problem. She seemed to know just exactly what she was doing, he didn't want to be a disappointment... again. After all, Faith hadn't exactly been complimentary about his 'performance'.

"Ahn" he sighed, "Y'know, me and Faith, it didn't mean anything, to either of us. I want you and me to mean something"

"Me too" she smiled as she stepped in close to him and put her hand to his face, and kissed him softly on the lips, "Xander, let's remove our clothing now" she said, the look on her face was enough to tell him what came after, and Xander didn't need telling twice as he put his lips to hers and their passion took over.

* * *

"Faithie?" Spike called to her as he came into the apartment.

He didn't have long, he was only on his lunch break from work but he thought he ought to check on her. This morning she'd complained of morning sickness and it seemed like her pregnancy really was kicking in. Spike had wished at first that it was all a false alarm, but he couldn't do that anymore.

'If wishes were horses, beggars would ride' that's what his mother used to say. Spike couldn't help but think that if wishes were horses, he'd grab Buffy, fling her on said horse with him, and gallop off into the sunset to live happily ever after. It was a few years now since he'd even wanted such a fairytale of an ending with anyone but right now the thought appealed.

"Faith?!" Spike called again when he got no response from her.

He checked all the rooms of the apartment but it seemed as if she wasn't around. It was likely she'd gone out for a breath of fresh air to make herself feel better he realised, though he was a little annoyed that he'd had a wasted trip back to the apartment.

Spike's eyes fixed on the mark on the wall as he headed back towards the door. His smashed phone reminded him of the argument he'd had with Faith, and of the fact he hadn't been unable to send a message or make a call to Buffy that day. Telling her about her half-sister's pregnancy had been the very hardest part, seeing her so hurt, crying from the pain he had inflicted with his words - it had near broke his heart and he hated himself right now.

Though it was the middle of the day and his boss would go nuts if he found out, Spike walked back through to the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the shelf. He stopped short of pouring a large shot when he realised the level of liquid was lower than he thought it should be. He hadn't drunk this much, he was sure, and yet it couldn't have been Faith, surely it couldn't, not now they knew she was pregnant!

Spike resolved to have words with his woman when he got home tonight. Perhaps he didn't feel entirely ready to be a father or whatever but they were having a child and he would be responsible. He indented to make sure Faith was too.

Pouring himself the drink he needed, Spike downed the double shot in one and barely felt the heat. He knew it was pointless, one drink wasn't going to make him feel any better, it certainly wasn't going to fix any of the problems in his life.

Just as he was contemplating heading back to the garage or blowing off work for the afternoon, the front door opened and Faith came wandering in.

"Alright, luv?" he checked as she jumped a little, not really expecting to see him there.

"Yeah, sure" she said absently, "Why're you here?" she wanted to know as she removed her jacket and wandered over to where he stood so they were either side of the kitchen counter.

"Came to check on you, pet" Spike told her, "Seemed to me you weren't too good this morning. Thought I'd had a wasted trip when you weren't here"

"I was... I had to go see the doctor, jackass!" Faith said defensively, "You think you can just be pregnant and not see a doctor?"

"Shoulda told me you were goin', luv, I'd've come along" he said, reaching to put a hand to her shoulder. She shrugged away.

"I don't need your hand-holding, Spike" she remind him, "I'm not some scared little kid or nothin'" she protested.

"I know that" he nodded, putting her weird mood down to mostly fear and hormones, "So, what'd the Doc have to say?" he asked as Faith moved to sit down on the couch, all the while looking away from him.

"He said, 'hey, guess what? There's a bun in the oven'" she said sarcastically, "What do you think he said?"

"Maybe it'd best I leave you to it, and we talk later" Spike said with a shake of his head as he went for the front door, "There's no talking to you when you're like this"

"Whatever" she shot at him as she flipped on the TV and concentrated on whatever daytime crap was playing on there.

The slam of the door alerted her to the fact that Spike had left - she barely flinched.

_To Be Continued..._


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N : We're headed back towards some Spuffyness, I swear, just give me a little more time! Stick with it, and I promise all will be well in the end!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 28

"Spike" Wesley smiled as his cousin arrived at the bar and sat down beside him. He always hated being alone at the Bronze. Despite the fact he dressed the part, he felt terribly out of place in the night-club. He was the stereotypical geek and as such was more likely seen in a library than propping up a bar. Thankfully he had much more confidence when Spike was there.

"Alright, cuz?" the bleached blond asked, forcing a smile as he pulled up a stool next to Wes, "'S been a while"

"Too long" the younger man agreed, "It would seem we've both been a little busy lately"

"Somethin' you wanna tell me, Wes?" Spike asked wondering why his cousin was suddenly looking so shifty.

He was used to him being a little bit nervy and geekish, he often reminded Spike of himself back when he was known as William and practically lived in the school library. Still, Wes was seldom if ever this bad recently, not unless women were present.

"I do have one piece of news, yes" Wesley nodded as Spike got the bar tenders attention and ordered a double bourbon before turning his attention back to the boy, "I have met a wonderful woman" he explained, sipping from his glass of cola, "I confess she has taken a large part of my time of late, but I'm not sorry for it" he said firmly and Spike smiled genuinely.

"Neither should you be, mate" he assured his cousin, slapping him on the back in friendly fashion, "Bloody glad you finally got yourself a girl. Someone from school is she?" he checked.

"Yes, actually" Wes nodded, "Her name is Willow"

"Willow?" Spike gasped slightly into his drink as he echoed the girl's name.

Surely there couldn't be two of them around here, it wasn't exactly the commonest of names.

"Yes, Willow, Buffy's best friend" Wes clarified, with a smirk his cousin ought to have been proud of, "You remember the blonde who you are dating concurrently with her own half sister Faith?" he checked.

"Stop being a bloody smartass, and keep your bleedin' voice down" Spike seethed as he breathed evenly once again, "How come everybody is suddenly shooting their mouth off about me and Buffy? S'posed to be a soddin' secret, if that weren't obvious!"

"Of course it's obvious, Spike" Wes pointed out in a whisper, "I hardly think Faith would react favourably to knowing you were also seeing her sister"

"Yeah, well" Spike sighed, "Fact of it is I'm not seeing Buffy anymore. Can't bloody do that to Faith when she's carrying my kid, now can I?" he said with a look before downing the rest of his drink in one gulp and immediately ordering another.

"Bloody hell!" Wesley exclaimed with uncharacteristic abandon, "I mean, I... Faith is pregnant?" he checked he'd heard correctly, and Spike confirmed the fact with a single nod, "Does Buffy know this?"

"She does" his cousin told him, "Had to tell her before Faith did, poor chit was heart broken as it was but what else could I bloody do?" he asked rhetorically, "If none of my other advice sunk in, Wes, promise me this, mate" he said seriously, "Don't ever date two women at once, especially when they're related" he paused before adding quietly, "especially when there's bloody good chance you'll fall in love with one of them"

"In love?" Wes echoed as if the term were foreign, he certainly thought it would be to Spike.

Though he knew his cousin could be kind and affectionate with women, as well as a bit of a user at other times, he had never really considered that Spike could be in love. Several years ago, when he'd been Cousin William, and perhaps even more of a geek than Wesley himself knew he was now, there had been a woman in his life, but back then Wes had paid little attention to the dalliances of the older boy. They'd became friends later, when he suspected Spike saw a little of his old self in his cousin and helped him when he could, first out of sympathy and then out of familial affection. Thinking of all the help Spike had given him, Wes wanted to return the favour somehow, but he honestly didn't know what to say.

"Surely, you and Buffy" he said with a shake of his head, "you can't possibly be in love with her?"

"Damn wish that were true" Spike chuckled, though his laughter lacked considerably in humour, "but honestly, I haven't felt like this... well, I was gonna say since Dru but I don't think I even fell this hard for her"

"Good Lord" Wesley said quietly, mostly to himself.

As much as he loved and respected Spike, he had sort of suspected his cousin had been playing Faith and Buffy a little bit. To think he might actually be in love with the blonde, and in turmoil because he'd been forced to dump her in favour of her pregnant sister, well, Wesley was quite astounded.

"I know I'm a pratt" Spike shook his head, downing his second drink the second it was placed in front of him, "I know all this is my own stupid fault too" he said sadly, "but Wes, I don't see a way out of this one, and I bleedin' hate myself enough already without you tellin' me what I a mess I made, alright?"

"I would not do such a thing, Spike" his cousin assured him with a serious expression, "I must say I am quite impressed to know you would stand by Faith in all this. Whilst I believe your love for Buffy is true, I cannot believe that you have a similar affection for her sister, or she for you"

"You're not wrong" Spike agreed, "Me and Faith, it was just s'posed to be fun, convenient, simple little arrangement that suited us both"

"And now?" Wesley checked, and his cousin sighed in response, looking down into his empty glass as if he hoped he might find the answers to the universe within it - of course, that was impossible.

"Now I'm stuck, for the rest of time, tied to a woman I barely even like anymore, whilst her sister lives a half a mile down the road..." he admitted quietly, "the only person who's heart is even a little bit more broken than mine"

* * *

"Oh, sweetie" Willow hugged Buffy tight as the blonde cried on her shoulder.

She'd just explained to her two best friends what had happened between her and Spike. Now they knew the fact she wished wasn't true, that her half-sister was pregnant by the man that she herself was in love with. Their situation was impossible and she hated it more than she could say. Even her best friends that she loved so much couldn't help her out of this situation, Xander didn't even bother trying to make a joke to help her feel better, he knew this time there was no point as he sat on the edge of the bed, watching Buffy sob in the arms of Willow.

"I know I should've seen this coming" Buffy cried, "You guys kept telling me it wouldn't work out, but I love him so much, and he loved me, and..." too much emotion stole her voice once again and Willow and Xander shared a concerned look.

"Y'know, Buff, we didn't want it to end this way" he told her, "I mean, sure, we weren't too psyched about you seeing Spike, but we wanted to believe in a happy ending for you two"

"Of course we did" Willow agreed.

"We could've made it, somehow" Buffy sniffed, gaining some control once again and pulling out of her friends arms as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "If Faith hadn't got pregnant"

"Of all the guys she could've got pregnant by" Willow said sadly, "I mean, she's had enough of them"

Xander looked away awkwardly at that comment, not wishing to speak of Faith's past conquests, since he himself ranked somewhere in the list.

"Do your parents know yet?" he asked, the thought suddenly occurring to him. He doubted Mr and Mrs Giles could've heard the news since they seemed pretty calm when he talked to them briefly on his way up to see Buffy.

"I doubt it" the blonde shook her head, "They're going to go crazy when they find out, and I have to act like I don't even know... I don't know how to do this" she admitted, trying not to cry anymore, she'd done too much of that already, and it didn't help at all.

"Hey, y'know maybe Faith didn't tell your Mom yet because she doesn't want the baby" Xander suggested, "She's not exactly the maternal type, maybe she'll, y'know, have it removed"

"That's awful!" Willow said, looking stunned.

She didn't understand how anybody could just get rid of a child that way, not without a proper medical reason or something.

"I'm not saying she should do that" Xander said quickly, "I'm just saying maybe she will, and it wouldn't totally suck if she did. For Buffy" he said, with a look that begged Willow to just agree with him.

They had to say something to make the blonde feel better, right now he'd say anything at all if he thought it'd help, he'd never seen Buffy look so lost, so desolate.

"I have to go..." she said vaguely, hurrying towards the bathroom.

She couldn't take it anymore, having her friends try to make her feel better. They meant well, of course they did, but their attempts at kind words didn't help her situation or her mood. She felt a mixture of so many things, none of which she liked. She still felt ridiculously guilty for what she and Spike had done, more so when she was reminded of her sisters condition. She hated Faith for getting pregnant, she hated Spike for being a part of that process too. The worst and most confusing part was that she also loved her sister as she always had, and loved Spike like she'd never loved anyone before.

Buffy looked at her red and tear-stained face in the mirror and winced. She looked frightful on the outside and uglier still in her heart. She'd done a terrible thing, and it couldn't fixed. She could never be with Spike, and yet she would be forced to endure the torture of having him around, with Faith hanging off his arm and a baby in tow.

"I can't" she whispered to herself as she began to cry once again.

Once her parents found out about the baby it would be the only topic of conversation. Faith and Spike would be around the house all the time, and when they weren't Joyce and Giles would be talking about them and the child they would be having. The thought of it made Buffy feel physically sick and she knew she couldn't stand by and watch all this. It would kill her to live like that, so close to the man she loved, knowing she could never have him, whilst carrying the secret that for a while at least he had been her own.

There and then Buffy made her decision. Somehow she had to get out of Sunnydale, away from Spike, and Faith, and everything, before it was too late.

_To Be Continued..._


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N : So yeah, I think I pushed this fic too far and lost my readers :-( If you are still reading please review so I know you're still there!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 29

"It's seriously scary, Will" Xander told his friend as they walked home from Revello Drive, "I never saw Buffy so... un-Buffy" he explained badly, "I mean sure she's gotten upset before, over guys, and her family, and that one time in kindergarten when I accidentally sat on her Barbie and kinda snapped the head off..."

"This is hardly the same thing, Xander" Willow shook her head, "This is a much bigger deal, I think she's really in love with Spike"

"I knew this was gonna happen!" her friend complained, "Stupid British bleached moron!" he seethed, kicking out at a fire hydrant and immediately regretting it as his foot throbbed.

He continued down the street hopping on one foot as Willow shot him look.

"Hey, don't use British like an insult" she told him sternly, "Wesley is from England too, and he's totally sweet" she explained, a smile taking over her face for a moment before she to back to talking about Buffy's situation, "And you know Spike isn't so bad. If he were such a bad person he wouldn't be standing by Faith now that she's pregnant"

"Yeah, I guess" Xander shrugged, wincing a little as he attempted a few steps on his injured foot, and limping with exaggeration when he found it still hurt quite a lot, "That's a whole other concept I can't even begin to imagine, Faith as a Mom"

"Kinda wacky" Willow agreed, "She doesn't seem much like the motherly type"

"No, she mostly seems like the whore type" Xander agreed, "I still can't figure out how she and Buffy are sisters, cos honestly I don't see any similarity"

"Maybe Spike did, maybe that's why he likes them both" Willow said thoughtfully, "I just wish he could've figured out he liked Buffy without having to like Faith so much first" she frowned, hating that everything in this situation always came back to how unhappy her friend was.

"You think the Buffster will be okay?" Xander asked her, kicking a stone along the sidewalk as they continued on towards Willow's house.

"I dunno" the red-head sighed, "She did seem a little better when she came back from the bathroom, although she was in a big hurry to get us to leave..."

"Will, I don't like that look on your face" Xander told her when her sentence trailed off to nothing and he caught sight of the expression she wore, "It looks like you just thought of something along the road to badness, and that's not going to lead to anything good"

"I'm probably just being crazy" she shook her head, "but what if... what if Buffy is planning to do something stupid?"

"Something stupid?" Xander echoed, "You don't mean like... oh God, you don't think she's so broken over Spike that she'd seriously want to..." he couldn't even say what he was thinking, and Willow's eyes went overly wide when she realised what he was implying. That thought hadn't even entered her head.

"No, Buffy's stronger than that" she said with a definite nod, though she hated that even a hint of that idea remained in the back of her mind, "I was thinking something stupid like drunkeness or running away to the circus or..."

"Oh my God!" Xander suddenly gasped, "Running away to the circus!" he echoed, getting excited and jumping around like a bug on a hotplate, "Will, don't you remember?" he urged her but she looked blankly at him, "When Ford left last Summer for LA?!"

Willow cast her mind back to that day just over one year ago, when Buffy's next door neighbour had packed up his stuff and headed off to the City of Angels now that he was done with college. The teens had befriended Billy Fordham quite by accident as Xander rode his skateboard to Buffy's house, misjudged his stopping distance, and ploughed right into the new neighbour as his two best friends looked on. That meeting had led to one crush and a new nickname for Billy, both of which came from the direction of Miss Summers. She'd got over him pretty fast, she'd been just eleven after all and as such was fickle about everything she liked, besides boys didn't mean quite as much to her then.

By the time Ford left late last Summer, he and Buffy were pretty good friends, and he liked Willow and Xander too. On the day he left he said his goodbyes, hugging Buffy last and kissing the top of her head.

"Don't be a stranger, Summers" he'd told her, "You know where I am if you ever need to get out of dodge" he smirked, "Just call me your 'run away to the circus' type back up" he'd said, half-joking as the little blonde's eyes had filled with tears.

Now that scene was back in both Willow and Xander's heads so clearly. They'd like to think their friend would tell them if she ever planned on bolting to LA or anywhere else for that matter, but honestly they weren't so sure.

"Will, what do we do?" Xander asked his friend.

"I don't know" the red-head shook her head, looking worried, "I mean, if we talk to her about it, and she hasn't thought of Ford, we might put the idea in her head and we so don't want to do that"

"But how do we know for sure if she's planing to go?" her friend asked worriedly, "Or she could be planning to go somewhere else. Doesn't she have an Aunt in Wisconsin?"

"And one in England" Willow said, her eyes going wide at the realisation of what Buffy might be planning to do.

"We got to do something, Will" Xander said firmly.

"Okay" Willow nodded, hating what she was about to suggest, but knowing it was pretty much their only option if they wanted to know for definite what Buffy might be planning to do, "I have a plan, I don't like it, but I have it, and it's the only way to be sure..." she told Xander as they hurried along down the street towards the Rosenburg house.

* * *

"Okay, first, when did you learn to do all this?" Xander asked as he sat beside his best friend and watched her fingers fly across the keyboard, the computer screen flashing up page after page of text and code, and password gates that seemed not to stand in the way at all as Willow worked on getting the information she needed.

"Books, mostly" she admitted, her eyes never leaving the screen, "And practice"

"Wow" was all Xander could find to say as he waited for his friend to find what she was looking for, and explain to him what the point of all the stuff on the screen was.

"I'm trying to find out if Buffy made any calls or sent any emails, possibly to Ford or anybody else, about leaving town" she explained, just as a box popped up in the corner of her screen, making a little 'ping' of a noise.

"Does that mean something good or bad?" he checked, having missed what the text within the box had said.

"Neither, exactly" Willow smiled inspite on the seriousness of the situation, "It means Wesley just signed in to the Instant Messenger" she said, just as another box popped up, stating 'Bikin' Boy says : Hello there'

"Will, we do not have time for this right now" Xander told her sternly, not least because he wasn't sure he wanted his best friend associating with a guy that was so closely related to Spike - they were cousins after all, and the bleached blond had hurt Buffy, which made Xander mad.

"Shoosh!" Willow snapped back at him, "He might be able to help" she said as she typed in a message to Wes asking if he'd had a chance to talk to Spike yet and what was said.

'Yes, I have seen him' he typed in response, 'He is terribly upset, though of course I doubt as much as Buffy is'

'She is pretty broken' Willow told him, 'We're worried what'll happen next'

'I fear Spike will stay with Faith' Wesley explained, though he hated knowing it was true.

This whole matter was so distressing for Buffy, and Willow was pained by association.

'He will not shy away from his responsibilities' he typed and Xander read it, a snort emitting as he did so.

"God, could this guy be anymore... British!" he exclaimed, though the look Willow gave him prevented him from making any further comment as she simultaneously IM'ed Wes, and continued searching for clues on what Buffy's next move might be. Xander decided perhaps now was a good time to go get snacks and Willow agreed, sending him off to the kitchen.

'Perhaps I should have asked at school, to your face, but I confess it still feels somewhat awkward...' Wes typed, 'Do you think you would perhaps like to go to the cinema with me on Saturday?' he asked and Willow let herself be temporarily distracted as she replied to him.

'That sounds good' she agreed, feeling all warm and tingly at the idea of a real live date with the mysterious Bikin' Boy who had turned out to be none other than the young man she'd dreamt of getting close to for some time now, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce.

'Splendid' came his overly British reply, and Willow paused her mad typing for a moment as her mind wandered over all the wonderful things that might happen on Saturday.

She completely zoned out until suddenly Xander returned to the room with an arm full of popcorn and twinkies, crashing haphazardly through the door and making Willow jump. It was enough to bring her back to reality and get her mind back on track.

'I'm sorry but I can't so much talk right now' she typed to Wesley, 'I'm not proud of this but I'm kinda hacking'

'Should I ask what you're doing exactly?' Wes checked and without hesitation Willow explained she was looking for any evidence that Buffy was about to run away from Sunnydale - telephone calls to LA, Wisconsin, or England, train or plane tickets to one of the same destinations.

'I can see why you would think she might run' Wesley agreed, 'It is difficult, to be so close to one you love, and not say a word'

Willow agreed wholeheartedly, a smile spreading across her face as she did so, and her cheeks turning pink, despite the fact nobody was really looking at her or anything. Xander was currently looking for the twinkie that had rolled under the bed, and not paying attention at all, and Wesley was on the other end of an Internet connection, but Willow knew what he meant, or at least what he might mean, and it melted her inside. She and Wes had been so close to each other, liking each other so much, and not saying a word. He used the word love now, and she wondered just vaguely if he was referring to them as well as Buffy and Spike when he said it.

Shaking her head, she brought herself back to the real world for a second time and continued working on the task at hand.

"Anything?" Xander asked as he appeared at her side, his mouth half full of junk food.

"No, not yet" Willow admitted, "but I... oh God" she said suddenly, her eyes going wide.

"What? Oh..." her friend gasped similarly as he caught sight of what she'd seen, an email from Buffy to Ford.

In it she did not explain about her situation with Spike at all, just said she could do with a few days away, and that she'd love to come stay with him if the offer was still open. He must've been right there at his computer since the response was more or less immediate according to the date stamp. He said it was fine and agreed to the plans she'd made. She would catch the bus tomorrow, sneaking out of school at lunch, home for her bag and then over to the bus station and away before any of her family or friends missed her.

'Willow?' Wes typed, a little worried that she was no longer responding to him, 'Is everything alright?'

'Not exactly' she typed back, still feeling a little upset and stunned that Buffy would plan to run away like this without a word. She quickly explained to Wes what she and Xander had found, and why she hadn't responded to him before.

'Can you not talk her out of it?' he checked, but Willow's response came back uncertain, and somewhat negative.

She knew Buffy to be headstrong and defiant when she wanted to be, and the red-head knew it was unfair to ask her friend to stay when she herself couldn't see any way out but running.

'Perhaps I can help' Wes suggested, a moment later, and though Xander looked underwhelmed at the prospect, Willow was thrilled to see the words, 'I have a plan'.

_To Be Continued..._


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N : There will be Spuffy again, I swear, and I know I'm really making you guys wait and suffer, but it's going to be worth it - at least I think so anyway! I really appreciate all the reviews, you all inspire me so much to write more and update faster!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 30

The sky was darkening when Buffy headed out of the school gates mere moments after the lunch bell rang. It had started to rain before she even made it to Revello Drive to collect her bags and now she was half way between there and the bus stop, her hair plastered to her head from the downpour as she struggled with the large hold-all over her shoulder and the small wheeled case that bounced down the sidewalk behind her.

It hardly ever rained in Sunnydale, and it was very rare for it to be this bad. Buffy vaguely wondered if it was karma of some kind, the Powers That Be telling her she was a bad person, that she'd done or was doing a bad thing. Part of her knew she was contemptible for seeing Spike behind Faith's back, and that she was being a less than a great daughter, running out on her parents without a word of explanation.

In all honesty, Buffy wasn't a fan of herself or her life right now. She needed to get out of Sunnydale, away from everything that was confusing her. She hoped a couple of weeks in LA with Ford would help; she hoped but she didn't really, truly believe.

Blinded by a mixture of rain and tears that had started just as soon as her mind began focusing on the reasons to go, Buffy hurried across the street, not paying much attention to the traffic. A car honked it's horn behind her, twice and three times before she paid proper attention.

"Buffy!" his voice called and she physically flinched at the sound.

She almost stopped walking but firmly told herself that it would do no good. Talking to Spike, even seeing him, it had messed with her head from day one. Now she had to get away from him, it was the point of this whole exercise.

"Buffy, please, luv" he called to her as he brought the car up along side her and drove at a snails pace to stay beside her, "Buffy, will you stop" he urged her, reaching one hand out of the open window and grabbing at her wrist.

"Leave me alone, Spike" she sobbed, pulling her arm free of his grasp and attempting to stride away - he easily kept up with her in his vehicle

"No, not until you talk to me" he told her firmly, "Buffy, come on, can't we at least talk like adults"

"And say what?" she asked, as she stopped at last and he pulled the car up alongside her, engine still running since he was ever wary of her fooling him and suddenly pelting off down the street.

"Please, get in the car, pet" he urged her, "You'll catch your death out here" he pointed out.

Buffy had to admit the idea of sitting in a warm car appealed way more than continuing walking in this downpour. Besides, it was Spike, she wasn't sure she knew how to say no to him anyway. She loved him so much, and she'd missed him terribly.

Opening the back door of the DeSoto, Buffy threw her bags into the car, then ran around the other side to get in beside Spike. He half-smiled, glad to have at least convinced her into the car if nothing else, now came the trickier tasks of first of all, keeping his hands off her when she looked so beautiful, albeit somewhat drowned, and second, convincing her not to leave like this. Though he had to admit, to himself at least, it might be easier with her gone, he knew that she shouldn't be forced out of her home just because of something he had done. Besides which, the thought of her any distance away from him, out of his reach, it was torture. It was bad enough with her just across town but at least that way he stood the chance of catching a glimpse of her every now and then. Whether that was better or worse in the long run, Spike couldn't quite fathom.

"Er, here, pet" he said, reaching into the back and pulling a blanket through between the seats, handing it to her. She was shaking and shivering from the rain and cold and was grateful of something that would dry and warm her even a little.

"Thanks" she mumbled as she rang out her hair a little and wiped her face and hands.

"Buffy, luv, you know you can't just leave like this" Spike sighed as he sat side-ways in the drivers seat watching her, "I'm so, so sorry I made you feel like you have to run away. You don't know how it tears my heart up to see you hurting and..."

"Please, Spike" she practically whimpered, her voice too high and shaking, "Please, I can't... I can't listen to this, not now, not when I know..." she cried, tears replacing the rain water she had just now removed from her cheeks.

"Baby, I'm sorry" he repeated, knowing that anything he said wouldn't really help.

He desperately wanted to hold her, and tell her everything would be okay, but he couldn't make guarantees like that and just as soon as he reached out his arms to her she flinched away like his touch burnt her.

"You're sorry" she echoed, "and I'm sorry, and God I know I'm crazy but I love you" she told him as she continued to sob, "Somehow my whole life became about you, even when I knew you were with my sister" she cried, "And now... now, I know we can never be together, and Spike it kills me to know that. It kills me to know you have to stay with Faith, and that I have to spend my life watching you make one with her, and a baby"

"You know I don't want that" he shook his head, "You know I want the same as you, that I want us to be together, but I can't take back what happened, I can't make Faith not be pregnant"

"I know" Buffy agreed with a nod, "but you don't have to be with her" she said, eyes going a little wide as a thought seemed to hit her right between them like a lightening bolt, "Spike, I have a place I can go, but better than that, I have a place _we_ can go, together" she told him, as her tears subsided, "We can't be together here in Sunnydale, but in LA..."

"Buffy..." he tried to interrupt, but she was on a roll and wouldn't let him.

"In LA we could be together" she enthused, "Nobody would know about Faith or the baby or..."

"I'd know, luv" Spike told her gently, "I'd know, and so would you. I couldn't live with myself if I left her in that state, could you?" he asked, fairly certain that a sweet girl like Buffy could never seriously do such a thing, although perhaps he shouldn't have been so quick to think it, after all he would never have suspected she would steal her half-sister's man either, but she had. She hadn't just stolen his body, she'd stolen his heart, something even Faith herself had never possessed.

"I can't deal with this, any of this" Buffy cried, "Spike I never felt like this about anybody in my whole life, I love you so much, but I love Faith too. I hate knowing that you cheated on her to be with me" she admitted, "but I feel worse knowing that now I can't even have that. I can't watch you be with her, Spike, you can't ask me to, and if you loved me like I thought you did, you wouldn't want to let that happen" she said, moving to get out of the car. Spike managed to stop her and it was luckier than he thought when he realised she'd likely have been hit by the car coming the other way down the road had she exited at that exact moment.

"Buffy, please..." he begged her to be reasonable, but she was beyond reason.

She was seventeen and in love, all she wanted was the happy ending she felt she deserved, and again her sister was messing with her plans. Okay, so Faith didn't know it, and it wasn't as if she'd got pregnant on purpose, Buffy knew it was probably the last thing she wanted, but that didn't change the fact it was true.

"Please what, Spike?" the blonde asked him tiredly, wiping tears from her face, so sick of crying by now, "I don't know what you want me to do, all I know is what we could do. We could get out of here and be together"

"It's impossible, luv" he tried to tell her but she wasn't really listening.

"Even if I was pregnant too?" she asked him seriously and Spike felt terribly sick.

"Bloody hell, pet, tell me you're not" he urged her, "Come on Buffy, tell me" he half-yelled when she turned away and wouldn't look at him.

He thought this was difficult now, stuck between the woman he loved and her pregnant sister, his life was about to go into meltdown along with his brain if Buffy was carrying his child too.

"I'm not" she said quietly, glad of the fact in all real senses, and yet a tiny voice in her head told her if only it were true maybe she would stand a chance of keeping Spike with her, which was really all she wanted right now. Still, she didn't have it in her to lie about something like that, she couldn't do it, especially not to the man she loved.

"You're sure?" Spike checked, starting to relax, but determined this was a hundred percent true before he absolutely did.

"I'm sure" Buffy nodded once, "I can't be pregnant, I... I started my period yesterday" she muttered, feeling a little weird saying it to him.

It was crazy given the way they'd talked about everything this past month together. She'd given herself to him, mind, body, and soul, and yet once in a while she felt like such a little girl, so shy and silly in front of this man she adored.

Spike wasn't sure which feeling were stronger, the relief of knowing he didn't have two children on the way, or the guilt at what he was doing to the woman he loved. It seemed crazy to think he was willing to hurt Buffy whom he would happily spend his life with and yet he couldn't walk out on Faith whom he barely even liked anymore. The baby made the difference, he knew that, but the thought only now occurred to him that he'd actually seen no evidence that the child even existed. He couldn't think why Faith would say she was pregnant if she was not, and yet he knew her to be capable of some fabulous lies. It would explain why she wouldn't let him go to see the doctor with her, why the bourbon bottle seemed to have lost more of it's contents than he himself had drunk, why she still found as many excuses to go out with her friends as ever, despite her supposed condition.

Spike glanced across at Buffy beside him, and decided what he had to do. He couldn't tell her of his suspicions and get her hopes up, but he could promise her one thing. He loved her, she was the only woman he'd ever want this way, he was sure of it. Faith couldn't stand in the way of this, and even if she were pregnant, he couldn't let that child ruin things for him either, he'd only end up hating that which he should only love.

"Buffy" he said softly, his hand reaching to out to her, going to her cheek and turning her head til she looked at him through red-rimmed eyes. She was so broken, so lost, he'd done this to her, and he hated it, "I can't leave with you today" he told her, "but I can fix this, I can"

"How?" she asked in a small voice and he shook his head.

"I can't tell you exactly, but I can fix it" he promised her, "Give me a couple of days, and then... then we can be together, luv"

"But, Spike, we..." she began, only to have him silence her with his lips gently pressed to her own.

"I'll fix it, Buffy, I swear" he told her in a whisper, his face still close to hers, "Trust me, pet?"

"I do" she whispered back, before they kissed again.

This had to work out, they both thought simultaneously, as their arms wound around each other and the kiss went on and on.

* * *

Faith's eyes were wide with tears forming in them as she dropped the handset of the phone onto the carpet. She'd been super-pissed when it had started ringing just a few moments after she'd gotten into the bath. She would've ignored it but it just went on and on til it drove it nuts.

She'd said hello three times, but got no answer. It was only as she was about to hang up that she heard her little sister's voice and listened harder. Spike's voice followed and she was stunned by what she heard. They couldn't have had any idea that she could hear them, the phone must've dialled of it's own accord in his pocket or something since nobody was speaking directly to Faith. It would seem Buffy and Spike only had time for each other, and that the affair she had suspected them of having was completely true.

She felt sick when she realised the real pain and suffering she had caused Buffy with the news that she herself was pregnant. This had been a game before, her and Spike were not in love or anywhere close, they just liked each others company well enough and got a kick out of sharing a bed. It sounded to Faith as if her sister was really in love with the bleached blond, and even scarier than that, that he might feel the same.

Though he was a player like her, Faith knew Spike wasn't the kind to confess to love if he didn't feel it, or make promises he didn't intend to keep. He must have real feelings for Buffy and she was the one standing in the way of the two of them being together.

She ought to have enjoyed having that power over two people who had at various times hurt her, and yet all she could feel was guilt. It wasn't an emotion she often experienced, but for all the clashes they'd had over the years, she loved Buffy more than she could ever care about any man. They were sisters, that had to matter more.

Taking a deep breath and wiping away one stray tear that fell down her cheek, Faith hung up the phone and resolved to do the right thing for maybe for the first time in her life. Spike didn't need to fix all this, she was going to do it, she had no other option if she was ever going to live with herself.

_To Be Continued..._


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N : I am so grateful for all the review I am receiving on this story - your support matters a lot  
Now, Spike and Faith both want to fix the situation they're in, but how do they plan on doing that???  
Read on to find out!!!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 31

"Right then" Spike said to himself, as he stood outside the door to the apartment where he and Faith lived.

He had made a promise to Buffy, told her he'd fix everything so they could be together. It was what they both wanted so much, it was worth causing Faith a little pain to save hurting Buffy anymore, it had to be. The real problem, of course, was the baby.

It would seem that Faith was carrying Spike's child and despite her general nature, she did not appear eager to get rid of the being that grew inside her. Spike would never ask her to, he couldn't, and yet he really wished this had never happened, that he and Faith had never even got together if truth be told, but then perhaps he never would've met Buffy. That might be a good thing or a bad thing, in all honesty Spike couldn't decide which, and he knew he didn't have time for all this deep thought right now, he had to get on with this.

"Hey" Faith greeted him with a shaky smile as she paced behind the couch, a drink in her hand that she'd almost forgotten about.

"Alright, luv?" Spike forced a smile which quickly turned into a frown as he noticed the glass Faith held, "What's that?" he demanded to know as he slammed the front door shut behind him.

"What's it look like?" Faith snapped back, the anger that had given way to guilt and sadness now rebuilding inside her at the sound of his harsh and accusing tone.

"I can't believe you'd be so bloody stupid as to be drinking when you're pregnant" Spike angrily as he strode across the room, ripping the glass from her hand and slamming it down onto the counter behind him.

"Yeah, well, apparently I'm a lot more stupid than you ever thought" she shot back, folding her arms across her chest in a manner both defensive and determined at the same time.

"I didn't mean..." Spike started, sighing when he realised that this conversation was only going develop more and more into a huge argument, there was just no way for it not to, "Please don't pick a fight with me, Faithie, not now" he beseeched her as he moved to sit down in the armchair with a thump.

"You got damn wet out there" Faith commented for lack of anything else to say, noting the rain water that dripped off Spike's hair and from every fold and crease in his leather coat.

"So I did" the bleached blond agreed, mind flashing back to being out there in the bad weather with Buffy, talking and kissing, making promises that were going to be so bloody difficult to keep it seemed, "Look, Faith, pet, there's something we have to talk about"

"Yeah? Like what?" she asked, coming to sit on the couch nearby, seemingly uninterested in what he had to say, whilst inside her heart beat a mile a minute.

She hadn't quite decided yet how she was going to broach the subject of Buffy, and the secret she had discovered. Spike had come home before she was really ready, a strange feeling for a young woman who always considered herself ready, willing, and able for pretty much anything. Now it seemed perhaps Spike was going to spill his guts before she got a chance to call him on his 'affair' with her half-sister, and Faith wasn't sure how to deal with that. She hadn't really been with an honest guy before.

"About all sorts really" Spike admitted to the subject of their conversation needing to be more than one thing, since essentially it was not just Buffy they must discuss but also their unborn child, their living arrangements, their 'relationship', if one could call what they had as such.

"We went all this time gettin' by on the physical, and suddenly we need to talk about all kinds of stuff" she sighed, flipping on the TV much to Spike's annoyance, "World's gone a little weird today"

"Faith" Spike called for her attention, but she seemed to be trying to completely zone him out, causing him to become increasingly annoyed, especially since this was probably the most serious conversation they'd ever had, "For God sakes, Faith, pay a-bloody-ttention would you, luv?!" he said frustratedly as he joined her on the couch, pulling the remote from her hand and shutting off the TV.

"Hey, I was watchin' that!" she protested.

"No you soddin' weren't!" he shot back, as he held the remote out of her reach, and when she struggled too much to take it from him he threw it with all his strength towards the wall where it broke into an irreparable amount of pieces.

"Asshole!" Faith yelled, but it had little or no effect on Spike who took her petty insults with a pinch of salt.

"So that's what I am, is it, pet? I'm an asshole?" he challenged her, "Well, I'm glad we agree on something" he shouted, stunning her a little, but not enough to keep her quiet for more than a second or two.

"You're usually so full of yourself, Blondie" she shook her head, voice still raised, "So what gives today? What's different?"

"Nothin's different today" he admitted, "Not just today anyway. God, how the hell did this happen to me?" he laughed suddenly, finding no humour in the situation, but knowing if he didn't laugh he'd likely scream or maybe even cry, as he thought of Buffy and then Faith and the mess he was caught in the middle of.

Here Spike was trying to tell his pregnant pseudo-girlfriend who was pregnant with his child, that he'd been seeing her younger more impressionable half-sister behind her back for over a month, and that he was in fact dumping Faith for Buffy, the one girl she both loved and hated in equal parts for being both her darling little sister and the brat who always got everything she wanted. The worst of it was, it seemed Faith wasn't going to make this easy at all, even though there was no way she could know what was happening, or where this conversation tended...

"C'mon, Spike" Faith smiled, almost as if she knew something he didn't as she leant her head over the back of the couch and watched him pace up and down behind it now, "Don't go all schizo on me, man, just tell me what the frickin' hell is goin' on!" she urged him.

When he remained silent too long, Faith got bored and headed for the kitchen, seeking out the nearest bottle of booze.

Spike was incensed as he came up behind her, grabbing the vodka from her hand.

"Are you bloody insane?" he asked her angrily as she glared at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry" she yelled, sounding anything but, "Which bottle was I supposed to be drinking from while you're out bangin' the neighbourhood?" she asked, her nasty tone making her accusations sound all the worse.

The truth was, neither of them were supposed to mind if the other was getting their kicks elsewhere. When the fun when out of their 'relationship' they were just going to part ways, no bad feeling at all between them. Suddenly she was accusing him of affairs and he was at least guilty of having one. It'd actually be easier if what she said was true, if he'd just got restless and gone off sleeping with anything in a skirt, but it wasn't that simple. He was actually in love, and worst of all, the girl who held his heart was Faith's own half-sister. How could he tell her that without hurting her? Or losing some vital equipment at her hand?

"Bugger this!" Spike sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Y'know I didn't plan any of this, didn't plan to get everything so bleedin' mixed up!" he complained looking and sounding almost crazed as he paced up and down, waving his arms in emphatic gestures.

In all honesty, he felt as if he were going crazy, being driven round the bloody bend by women who wanted too much from him!

"Yeah, cos I really planned to get knocked up!" Faith threw back at him, "You really think I wanted this?"

"I don't bloody know anymore!" Spike yelled back, his anger increasing with his volume causing the neighbours above and below to bang on the top of the ceiling and the underside of the floor respectively, "Bugger off!" he ordered them in response, thumping his booted foot back at those below him, "Bloody idiots!"

"Yeah, cos you're just so damn smart, aren't you, Blondie?" Faith laughed humourlessly.

"What are you talking about now, you silly bint?" Spike wanted to know and the brunette's anger rose at the tone of his voice and the insult he threw.

"Simple" she told him, coming around the counter and standing not a foot in front of him, "I. ain't. pregnant" she told him pointedly, as Spike's mouth dropped open in shock.

"What do you mean you're not bloody pregnant?" he asked her a few moments later as the surprise he was feeling eased a little, "You... Faithie, tell me you didn't" he urged her, the look on his face making it very evident what he meant.

The thought of her having aborted their child, albeit it badly timed and a difficult situation, it made Spike feel sick to his stomach. He couldn't believe she would do that, not really. Even Faith was not so heartless as to destroy a life for no reason but her own love for a wild life and free love.

"Figure it out, dumbass!" she shot at him, rolling her eyes, "I didn't let you come to the doctor's appointment with me, cos there was no doctor. I ain't stopped drinking, I ain't thrown up once" she counted off on her fingers, "Spike, I'm on the damn pill!" she yelled loudly, as it seemed what she was saying wasn't quite sinking in.

Spike just stood and stared at the young woman before him, unable to make sense of anything. Surely it was too perfect to think that the baby, the one real physical obstacle in his leaving Faith to be with Buffy, was no longer an issue. Still, if what Faith was saying now was true it meant she'd told him a terrible lie before, for what purpose he could only begin to imagine.

A mixture of joy, anger, and confusion caused a strangled sort of laugh to escape his throat, as Faith took a step back from him, a little wary of what her revelation might mean. Spike had never hurt her, least not unless she asked him to, but she knew how men could turn on a dime, be totally nice one minute and then knock ten bells out of you the next.

"You were never pregnant" Spike laughed, though his eyes were dead and serious as he stared at her with a cool blue steely gaze, "You played me, God only knows why but you did. Knew good old Spike wasn't like your other fellas, he'd stick by you if he knew you were carrying his sprog"

"Like I'm the only guilty one here" she spat backing up just a little as he advanced on her.

"Oh, right" Spike grinned almost evilly, "So come on then, Faithie, enlighten me. What heinous crime did I commit that led you to do this?" he asked her.

"First you answer me one question" she said tilting her chin, and getting right up in his face, "How long you been screwing around with my little sister?"

Spike's eyes went wide as he took in what she'd just said, but his reaction was lost beneath Buffy's own audible gasp that caught the attention of both himself and Faith. There she stood in the doorway, soaked from the rain, eyes red from crying, her hand going to her mouth as she realised her sister knew about her affair with Spike, and it didn't seem as if he'd been the one to tell her, if the look on his face was anything to go by.

"Great timin', B" her sister smiled, though the look was far from genuine, "Why don't you come on in here, join the party?"

_To Be Continued..._


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N : I really hope that you all manage to find this new update - it seems the alert system isn't working for everybody! Anywho if you are reading this, I guess I should let you know that we heading for an ending on this story, but don't worry I have a new BtVS fic idea already planned!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 32

"Will, honey, breathe" Xander urged his friend as she worked herself up into a frenzy, pacing around in the near empty library.

Both of them, plus Anya and Wesley, had met here in their free period, hoping that one of them would know what had happened with Buffy and Spike by now. Unfortunately none of them had heard anything as yet, Buffy's cell was apparently switched off and no response could be obtained from Spike's either.

"Yes, please breathe, Willow" Anya echoed her boyfriends's sentiments, "You're turning colours"

"I can't help it, I'm just so worried" the red-head admitted, "Buffy could be half way to LA by now, and y'know bad things happen there"

"Honestly, Willow, I'm sure all will be well" Wesley assured her, "And really, bad things, they do happen everywhere you know. I'm sure Buffy will be in no more danger with her friend in Los Angeles than she would be here" he said gently, his hands going to her shoulders and stopping her pacing at last.

"I know" she half-smiled, "I know you're right, and she probably didn't even go anyway, I mean, Spike would've caught up with her, he would've stopped her, right?"

"Probably" Anya agreed, "I'll bet they made up, most likely in the back of his car. DeSotos are pretty roomy, you could have good sex in there"

"Ahn, please, not helping!" Xander told her loudly, a mental image of Buffy and Spike that he could well do without flashing through his mind.

"You're just jealous, Xander" she rolled her eyes at him before going back to filing her nails, "You know if you had a car we could have a lot more satisfying orgasms without having to worry about your parents catching us in your smelly basement"

Wesley looked extremely awkward as he listened to Willow's friends bicker, mostly over sex. Immediately she apologised for their behaviour and the more sensible pair moved further back in the library, behind the bookshelves where Xander and Anya could not be heard quite so clearly.

"I am so sorry about Anya" the little red-head apologised once again, "She's a little, well, her mind kinda only has one track most of the time"

"It's quite alright" Wesley assured her, though he seemed a little flustered by what he'd heard from the other couple, "Though I doubt a public library is the correct place to discuss... erm, the physical showing of affection, if they love each other, there can't be anything wrong with them, doing whatever they do" he said, unable to really look at Willow the whole time he was speaking.

"Maybe we should talk about something else" she suggested, feeling equally as awkward, even though she kind of wished Wesley would take his own advice.

If he thought showing affection physically was so fine and dandy, Willow couldn't understand why, as yet, he had made no move to so much as kiss her. She desperately wished he would, she'd liked him such a long time, and he was supposed to like her too. She'd kind of assumed when she finally met 'Bikin' Boy' that he would sweep her off her feet and they'd be girlfriend and boyfriend automatically. As it was, she and Wesley seemed to be no more than awkward friends.

"Actually, I had something I was planning to say" he told her, though he was not looking at her still, in fact his back was facing her, "Though this is actually the most inappropriate time to be making such admissions when you're clearly concerned for Buffy, and I myself am..."

"Wesley" Willow interrupted him, her hand on his shoulder making him jump and spin around fast, "You're rambling" she told him gently, and he knew he should just get to the point.

Spike often cursed at him for talking nonsense or taking forever to get to the point. Actions spoke louder than words, he said that a lot, and Wesley only wished he had what it took to be the man of action that Spike could be. It had taken him years to get even this far with Willow, to a point where they were certain they at least liked each other and could stand face to face without running away. In just a few short weeks Spike had got much further with Buffy, the two of them were in love and had even slept together. Whilst he would never wish to be quite as forward as his cousin, Wesley did wish he had at least a little of his aptitude.

"Oh dear" he sighed, mostly to himself.

Willow just stared up at him with wide innocent eyes, wondering what the problem was. She soon discovered what had got him so jittery as his hands went to her upper arms and he pulled her to him, pressing his lips firmly to hers.

Moments later when he pulled away, Willow could hardly breathe, but she was perfectly happy to remain in a heady state of non-breath as Wesley spoke softly to her.

"I love you, Willow Rosenberg" he told her simply, "I've wanted to tell you for so long"

"Really?" she checked, her voice coming out a little wobbly in tone, "Cos I... I kind of love you too" she admitted shyly, earning herself a grin from the man before her and another kiss that they both gladly fell into, as Xander and Anya found themselves in a similar clinch beyond the bookshelves.

* * *

"Come on, B, don't be shy" Faith smiled at her little sister, going to the doorway, "It's not like you and Spike don't know each other" she said coolly, putting an arm around the blonde's shoulders and practically dragging her into the apartment, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Faith, I'm sorry, I..." Buffy began, in the hopes of making some sort of explanation or excuse for what she and Spike had done.

Of course she couldn't really justify her actions but she had to try. She'd known this day was coming, one way or another Faith was always going to find out and both Buffy and Spike would have to face her wrath, not a prospect either relished, but it was too late for regrets now.

"You're sorry, huh?" her older sister laughed, "Y'know that's funny... actually, wait, no it's not" she said, her laughter ceasing just as quickly as it had begun, "What get's me, B, is stuff never changes. Since we were kids the little princess always got what she wanted" Faith shook her head as she stood with her arms folded, leaning back on the counter, "Even if I was the one to miss out just to make it happen"

"This isn't bloody fair, Faith" Spike told her, "Buffy didn't take me from you" he explained, "I'm not some soddin' doll you two are fightin' over, I was a part of this too"

"Don't think I'm done with you yet" Faith spat, "You touched my sister, you perv!" she said with appropriately emphatic arm gestures.

"Faith, stop it!" Buffy cried, tears streaming down her face, only slightly hidden by the rain water that already soaked her to the skin, "Don't talk about me like I'm not here! You always do that!" she complained, "Spike is not a bad person, and I am not some little girl he took advantage of" she said tilting her chin, for once in her life she wasn't going to be walked over by Faith.

As kids, it was true, Buffy often got her own way and most things she wanted. Though Faith was not similarly blessed, and had been yelled at for things she'd said and done for most of her life, it didn't mean those things she said or did hurt any less. Buffy's pain didn't ease when Faith was told she was bad for what she'd done, the words still stung, the awful things she'd say sometimes. Buffy was not about to stand here and let Faith rip her and Spike to shreds, even if they had done wrong. They were not the terrible people her sister would have them be, they just fell in love was all.

"Do you know what he is? What he does?" Faith asked, turning her angry eyes upon her little sister, "I met this guy in a club, getting hammered on bourbon, and making out with anything female that came within fifty yards, B!" she told her angrily and Buffy knew as she glanced Spike's way that it was probably true.

After all, he'd been a player, just like Faith. A string of women formed a line of almost scary length in his past, just as a similar queue of men had tramped through Faith's life, and her bedroom. The stupid thing was, Faith actually thought it would make a difference to what Buffy felt - it didn't.

"You're talking about what he did, not what he does" the blonde protested, knowing she was right to trust in Spike, "And I don't care what he's done, Faith. Unlike you I actually love him" she spat, as Faith's expression twisted from anger to something almost depicting humour.

"Love?" the brunette echoed the word that was almost completely foreign to her, "You think you two are in love, B? What, he's gonna take you on his big white horse off into the sunset like some frickin' fairytale?"

"Why do you think she's such a child, Faith?!" Spike yelled suddenly taking his ex-lover's attention, "She's more of a woman than you" he told her nastily, earning himself a smack in the face or his trouble, one black eye he'd have to worry about later.

"Faith, stop it!" Buffy yelled, tears pouring from her eyes as she hit near hysterics.

"Why?" her sister asked, turning on her with anger flashing in her eyes, "Cos you love him?" she asked with a false smile, "I don't care" she said with fake sweetness as she delivered another smack to an unsuspecting Spike.

Incensed, Buffy flew at her sister, dragging her back away from the bleached blond who she knew would never defend himself by striking out at a woman. He'd told her along time ago he'd never done such a thing, and never would - Buffy believed that, without a doubt.

"Oh so this is how it is?" Faith asked the little blonde, "You want to go, B, I'll play, but I don't do the chick fight thing, you know that"

"I don't want to fight with you, Faith" Buffy told her tearfully, "I don't ever want that, I just... I can't explain how any of this happened" she cried, as she glanced over at where Spike stood with blood dripping from his nose and split lip, "We just, we made a connection, and we fought it, because of you, because of our age, because we knew it'd get messy and complicated" she admitted, "but we love each other, and you can laugh at us, you can beat on us, you can do whatever you want, Faith, but it won't change the fact that I love Spike, and he loves me"

Faith was quiet a long time, as she stood their staring at her little half-sister, sweet innocent Buffy who'd perhaps become a betrayer and a liar, but also a pretty amazing young woman who was making a lot of sense right now. Faith hated having been double-crossed by these two people, hated it so much she could scream, but in the end both Buffy and Spike were right. Nobody had really hurt her. She could live without Spike, there were plenty more fish in the sea, one in particular sprung to mind that she could go to right now or anytime, knowing she'd never be turned away.

As for Buffy, she did truly look sorry, and as much as she'd like to deny it, Faith was pretty sure the princess was right in what she said; she and Spike were in love, however improbable it seemed. The way they were looking at each other as she glanced between them, the glow of pride and adoration from Spike's cerulean eyes directed straight at the little blonde, he'd never looked at her that way.

"I know" she said suddenly, taking the pair by surprise, "I know you love him, and somehow you got the freak to love you too" Faith sniffed, "I figured out a long time ago he was bangin' some other chick, started to seem like it was you, B, but I guess I was still seein' the little girl you always were" she shrugged, "You went and grew up on me, sis, and kinda started playing me at my own game"

"It wasn't like that, Faith" Buffy shook her head, "This wasn't some game to hurt you or..."

"I know, I get it" her sister assured her, suddenly laughing lightly, "Look at us, all as messed up as each other" she noted as the three of them glanced at each other, "Hey, wait a second, ain't you s'posed to be in school?" she asked Buffy who looked remarkably like her sister when she smirked.

"Perfect, you never remembered when you were supposed to be in school but suddenly now it's my turn..." she rolled her eyes as she made her semi-joke, that caused both Faith and Spike to smile.

It seemed strange to bring humour into this situation, it would be a shock to any outsider that such an emotion could be found in it's room, amongst these people. It came perhaps from the fact they all knew each other so well, loved each other the same way, and in the end they were all just as wrong and right as the other two.

"So, what now then?" Spike asked.

"Now, nothin'" Faith shrugged, "Look, we all did wrong, man" she said as she turned to look at her ex-lover, "I could apologise for bustin' your face, or lying about having your kid, but then you and B would have to feel bad about being together, and damn, it just gives me a headache"

"Me too" Buffy nodded, "I just, I just want us to all be happy"

"It's all she ever wants" Faith rolled her eyes as she looked at Spike and he smiled.

"Gotta say, I'm right there with her" he admitted.

"Yeah well, me too, I guess" the brunette agreed, though how exactly this would lead to happiness in all quarters she had no idea.

This little revelation would surely make her Mom and Giles' heads spin, but hey, that might just be fun to see.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	33. Chapter 33

_**(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 33

"There, all done" Faith announced as she finished on the phone and hung up from the call, "Miss Buffy Giles is now officially so sick she can't be in school, okay?" she told the blonde who was sat on the couch with Spike tending the wounds her own sister had inflicted.

"Thank you" Buffy said sincerely as she turned to look at the older girl, "For everything"

"Don't sweat it, B" Faith shrugged, not taking gratitude well, especially when she really had nothing to be thanked for, after all they'd all done wrong, they should all be equal parts apologetic and grateful, and since Faith neither gave nor received those emotions well it was easier just to let the whole thing drop.

Watching Spike and Buffy together, Faith knew this whole mess had ended up right. The man who she had called her lover had never really been the guy he appeared to be. As much as she yelled and screamed about the perverseness of what he and Buffy had done, or about his not-so-distant past as a drinker and a womaniser, Faith knew underneath it all he was a decent guy, and he'd treat Buffy right. Hell, he'd even treated her pretty good, and Faith knew she didn't inspire anybody to be a prince for her sake.

"I'm gettin' out of here for a while" she announced suddenly craving some attention from another, a person who wouldn't be distracted or so easily stolen away, "Rain's pretty much over and I got places to go, people to do, y'know" she winked at her sister as the little blonde's expression shifted to near-disgust.

"Faith!" she called behind her sister as she opened the front door, "I... We're okay, right?"

"For the forty-seventh time, B, it's cool" the brunette told her from the exit, "But you" she said, looking somewhat sternly past her sister at her ex, "You treat her right" she told Spike, pointing a finger at him, "Or you know I'll take you down"

"Understood, pet" the bleached blond promised with a nod, before Faith finally left.

As strange as it all was, it seemed things had worked themselves pretty well so far. An arrangement had been made, a deal in which nobody got mad or even, they just got along. Spike could hardly wrap his head around this at first, him and Buffy together, without having to worry about being torn apart by Faith or a baby he might've made with her. He knew deep down there was a reasonable person inside his ex, he just never thought she'd let it out around the likes of him. It seemed, in fact, that sensible, decent streak she had was reserved for helping out her sister, and he was truly grateful for it.

"So, the world's going to implode tomorrow, right?" Buffy said suddenly, causing Spike to frown as he looked at her.

"Not sure I followed you round that bend, luv" he admitted as she sat there, twisting the damp cloth she'd used to clean his face, around and around in her hands.

"It's all going too well" Buffy admitted as she looked over at him, "Faith's not pregnant, she's actually okay with us being together, it's almost as if everything is going to work out perfectly"

"And that bothers you somehow?" Spike checked, not really getting it.

"Are you kidding?" Buffy laughed, "It scares me to death, Spike. It can't be going this well, something has to go wrong" she told him, "Or I'm dreaming" she considered, feeling desolate at the very idea of waking up and realising this whole situation was fake, that nothing was good or happy as it was now, that she was on a bus halfway to LA in the rain, tears on her face and nobody to care.

"Buffy, luv" Spike said softly, his hand going to her cheek, "Don't know about you, but I'm livin' a bloody dream. Being with you is like a dream come true, finding someone who..." he said awkwardly, not really knowing how to explain, "I gave up on happy ever after a long time ago, pet. Now I think, maybe I shouldn't've" he admitted as he leaned in closer and their lips finally met.

It was obvious to the both of them where this would lead, as things heated up between them. Unfortunately this was a less than adequate setting and as much as she loved him and wanted him, Buffy wasn't exactly comfortable, squashed on the couch she knew Spike and Faith had probably done the very same thing on, with the both of them in sodden clothes.

"This is less than romantic" she giggled as she pulled away, "And it's a little icky knowing that you and Faith..." she said awkwardly as Spike sat up straight again and pulled her up with him.

"Right then" he agreed, though in all honesty he was oblivious to location or situation, he just wanted Buffy so much, and finally it seemed they could be together without all the hassles and problems of before.

Of course, Spike was not so naive he thought things would be peachy keen here on out, but Faith was cool with the situation, as were Buffy's friends. Her parents might be a challenge, and there was no way any of the blokes Spike hung around with would understand that he was in love, but then he doubted he'd be spending too much time with that crowd anymore, he didn't need to.

"I should go get my bags" Buffy suddenly realised, "I kinda dumped them in the stairwell so I could move faster" she admitted as she got to her feet and Spike followed suit.

"I'll go" he told her, "You get yourself cleaned up and dried off, pet, before you catch your death" he told her, dropping a quick kiss on her mouth as he walked by her and out of the apartment.

Buffy couldn't stop smiling as she watched him go; her boyfriend.

It was incredible, it was like a dream come true. Faith was okay with everything, there was no baby to worry about, nothing, well, except for her parents of course.

Buffy's smile twisted into a grimace as she recalled her parents reactions to Spike as Faith's boyfriend. They weren't exactly thrilled by the sight of him, and Buffy knew it'd be a lot worse when she was the one bringing the bad-ass punk home. Not that Spike was really like that. Sure, he looked as if he might be a likely ringleader at a riot, or a guy you'd find on a street-corner, but that was only what was on the outside. On the inside he was such a sweet guy, and Buffy was sure she could make her Mom and Dad see that somehow.

Right now, she needed a shower and a change of clothes, plus some time with Spike so they could talk and, well, she doubted all they'd do was talk but she did know they wouldn't be going too far, not in this apartment, it was just too weird. Okay, so it was sweet to think this was the first place they'd met and stuff, but moreover it was the place where Spike and Faith lived together, where they got their rocks off together, all over the place. Buffy decided not to dwell too long on those thoughts, but she knew she'd never be able to spend the night with Spike in this place, it would always be too weird.

* * *

School was out, and Willow was eager to get to her friends house to find out the truth. Buffy was supposedly sick, so she'd found out from one of their teachers, but it remained to be seen if that excuse were true or if in fact the blonde had skipped out of town on a bus to the City of Angels.

Wesley was quick to comfort his new girlfriend, as they walked out of school, his arm around her shoulders, with Xander and Anya following behind, holding hands. They were halfway between school and their best friend's house when a car pulled up beside them, a car they recognised.

"Spike?" Wesley checked, as he peered in through the darkened window.

"Alright, mate?" his cousin grinned as he got out of the car, his eyes travelling over the scene before him, "You two been getting to know each other then, have you?" he checked with a smirk as he noticed Wes' arm round Willow's shoulders, and a smudge of her lipstick on his cousins face.

"Uh, well, I..." Wes began, only to be interrupted by his new girlfriend squealing happily and running to hug her best friend as she exited the car.

"Buffy, you didn't go!" she said happily, and the blonde smiled.

"I almost did" she admitted, "but now I don't have to. Faith knows, about me and Spike, and it's okay" she explained as Xander took a turn at hugging her, much to Anya's annoyance.

"That's great, Buff" he said half-heartedly, after all he wasn't exactly Spike's biggest fan, and then there was that other problem he felt he ought to bring up, "but what about little Faith/Spike Junior?"

"Doesn't exist" Spike chipped in, "Never did as it goes, good old Faithie was takin' us all for a ride" he explained, "Not that I blame her exactly, 's not like I've been a saint lately"

"It doesn't matter now" Buffy reminded him as she came to stand beside him and got hold of his hand in hers, "It's all fixed, all good" she smiled.

"Wish that were true, pet" Spike sighed, shaking his head, "Got this nasty feelin' Mum and Dad aren't going to be too thrilled when the little princess brings... well, me, home to meet them"

"Really, Spike, I'm sure Buffy's parents are not so narrow-minded they would judge you on your appearance" his cousin told him.

"True enough, Wes" Spike smirked at him, "but they might judge the bloke that hopped from one sister's bed to the other"

"It so wasn't like that!" Buffy protested, then off the look her boyfriend gave her, "Okay, so it kind of was like that, but... well, it's not like you cheated on anybody, and you didn't love Faith like that, you and her were just using each other..."

"Oh marvellous, yeah" Spike told her, "Let's tell your parents that, bet that'll make me sound really wholesome and decent"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out" Willow said kindly, "Mr and Mrs Giles are nice people, they pretty much like everybody"

"Yes, they're even polite to me" Anya threw in, "And that almost never happens. Apparently many people find me overtly honest and somewhat annoying, especially when I mention orgasms"

"Imagine that" Spike said sarcastically, as Buffy stifled a giggle and slapped him gently across the arm.

"So, everything's okay now?" Willow checked with her best friend, "You're not going to leave or anything?"

"No way, Will" Buffy shook her head, "Everything's pretty much perfect right now" she smiled up at Spike, who took the opportunity to kiss her briefly, much to her friends' embarrassment, all accept for Anya who stared inappropriately.

"You should go, luv" Spike told Buffy when they parted, "Get your stuff back in the house before the parents get home and find out what's been goin' on"

His girlfriend agreed he was right and regrettably she walked away from him, along with her friends. It wouldn't be long though, until she saw her man again. They had no reason to hide anymore, at least they wouldn't when her parents found out the truth. That was the only hurdle left to face right now, and Buffy didn't even want to think about it.

_To Be Continued..._

**A/N : So yeah, you probably guessed this fic is pretty much coming to the end of the road. I'm thinking one more chapter for the parents to find out about the Spuffy, then maybe a happy ever after Epilogue... In the meantine, please leave a review ;-)  
**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N : Well, here it is, the final chapter, although there will be an Epilogue to follow this which will hopefully be posted tomorrow! In the meantime, Buffy must face her parents and tell them she's dating Spike...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 34

"Don't worry, Buffy, I'm sure it'll all be fine" Willow assured her friend as they spoke by phone on Saturday.

It was just after lunch, and today was the day that Buffy and Spike had decided they ought to tell her parents the truth, that they were together and in love. In one hour he would arrive at her house and then the deed had to be done.

Of course Buffy knew that she could continue to keep her relationship with Spike from her parents, plenty of teens did worse than have a secret boyfriend, but she had no reason she could see to be ashamed of the man she loved, and they'd done enough lying and sneaking around already; no more.

"I think maybe they'd understand about Spike" Buffy sighed into the phone, "I mean, he's British which my Dad will like, and he can do the good manners thing" she considered, "but I'm not so sure it's gonna thrill Mom or Dad that he was dating Faith first. Honestly, it doesn't make me the happiest girl in the world"

"Oh, Buffy, you know Spike didn't love Faith or anything, they were just..." she paused when she realised she didn't know quite how to phrase it politely or delicately.

"I know what they were, Will" Buffy assured her, saving the red-head from having to describe further, "I..." she stopped when she heard an engine outside and looked out of her window to see Spike pull the DeSoto into the drive, "Oh my God, he's early"

"Good luck, Buff" Willow told her friend, "Me and Wes are thinking of you"

Buffy thanked her friend before shutting off her cell, flinging it onto her bed, and bolting down the stairs. She met Spike on the driveway, leaving the door swinging open.

"What are you doing here so soon? I'm not ready yet, I-I'm not prepared" she rambled a little at him.

"Hey, don't panic, luv" Spike said calmly, "It's all alright. The thing of it is, Faithie's got it into her head she ought to be here when we tell your folks about us"

"Are you kidding?" Buffy's eyes went wide, "Like this isn't hard enough anyway, you know how Faith can be, she'll..."

"I know, pet, which is why I'm early" Spike explained, "We get this done ahead of time, then when big sis gets here there'll be nothin' to wreck, right?"

Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by her mother calling from the house.

"Sweetheart, is somebody at the door?" Joyce wanted to know.

"Um, just a minute, Mom!" Buffy called back, turning back to face Spike, and physically shaking as his hands went to the tops of her arms.

"Now or never, luv" he told her, as she took a deep breath, "You alright?"

"Sure" she nodded, "It's fine, we can do this" she said with more confidence than she actually felt as Spike gripped her hand and they walked up the porch steps and into the house together.

Joyce met them in the hall and was quite surprised to see the young man she knew as her older daughter's boyfriend with Buffy.

"Hello, er... Spike, isn't it?" she checked with the bleached blond, who smiled and nodded that she was right.

"Mom, I... we need to talk to you" Buffy explained, "Dad too, actually" she said, looking around for him.

With a puzzled look, Joyce headed back to the kitchen from whence she'd come, taking with her the dish she'd been drying on the towel in her other hand.

Buffy led Spike through to the living room and they sat down together on the couch. She was visibly shaking and he felt bad for her.

"Breathe, luv" he whispered to her, "It'll be alright" he promised, though honestly he wasn't so sure.

Mr and Mrs Giles were likely to hit the ceiling when the truth was revealed and he'd been dreading this moment almost as much as his girlfriend.

"Buffy, my dear, are you quite alright" her father checked as he appeared in the doorway, munching on an apple, his wife following him into the room.

"Yeah, sure" she said nervously as he eyed Spike with suspicion, "It's just, well, we have something we need to talk to you about"

Sharing a worried glance, Joyce and Giles moved towards the arm chair, her sitting down, him hovering behind it.

"Mr and Mrs Giles" Spike said, clearing his throat, trying to find that very proper voice his mother had taught him to speak with as a boy, "The thing of it is, Faith and me... and I" he corrected himself, "Well, we've sort of had a parting of ways"

"Oh" Joyce reacted with mild surprise, "I'm sorry to hear that, Spike, but I'm a little confused as to why you're here telling us this, unless..." she trailed off as she caught a look that passed between this young man and her little girl, "Oh, Buffy, now I understand" she sighed and the blonde's eyes went wide.

"You do?" she squeaked, wondering how her mother had ever worked this out and how she could look so calm about it.

"Of course, sweetheart" Joyce smiled, "You wanted to ask if your sister could move back in with us"

"Kinda not" Buffy admitted with an uneasy laugh and shake of her head.

"Then do tell us, dear, to what this conversation tends?" Giles urged her, as he took another large bite from his apple.

"Okay" his daughter took a breath, steeled herself against any negative response, and finally bit the bullet, "Spike and I are together"

The first sound to follow her admission was that of Giles choking on a mouthful of semi-chewed apple that seemed to have a sudden urge to escape out of both his mouth and nose. Joyce rushed to his assistance, slapping her husband on the back as he bent double, and Spike looked heavenward praying he was anywhere than here right now.

"Buffy, what on Earth do you mean by that?" her mother demanded to know, as Giles' coughing fit died down to nearly nothing.

"I mean, we're together, Mom" the little blonde admitted, "I love Spike, and he loves me"

"It's true, Mrs Giles" the bleached blond nodded taking hold of his woman's hand, "I do love your daughter, this daughter, Buffy" he clarified, realising just how awkward the situation was and how he wasn't making it better.

"Are you out of your senses, Buffy?" her father asked her, looking decidedly red in the face after his momentary suffocation, "He's a... well, he was living with your sister and..."

"And he didn't love her, and she didn't love him" Buffy told him firmly, volume of her voice rising as she panicked and tried hard to get her point across, "I know it doesn't look good from the outside, I know it seems like Spike's a bad person or something, but I swear he's not" she told her parents, who still looked less than convinced.

"No, no, of course not" Giles rolled his eye, sarcasm evident in his tone, "Of course every decent, well-bred young man lives with someone like Faith whilst he works on her impressionable, much younger sister!" he said, getting louder as his sentence went on.

"Now, hang on a second...!" Spike began to protest.

"I think you should sit down...!" Joyce yelled back at him, as the leather-clad young man got to his feet.

"Daddy, please listen to me...!" Buffy waded into the argument too.

All four continued to yell over each other and pandemonium reigned for several minutes, til suddenly a piercing whistle silenced the whole room, shattering a few ear drums in the process.

"Geez, talk about your home sweet home" Faith smirked as the four turned to gaze at her, "It ain't exactly a friendly atmosphere in here, guys" she stated the obvious as was her way, "Who made B cry?" she wanted to know, as she spotted the tears on her kid sister's face and didn't look happy about it.

"They don't understand, Faith" she told the older girl sadly.

"Of course we don't understand, Buffy" Joyce told her with a scathing look, "How can you expect us to accept that...?"

"Hey, Mom?" Faith interrupted, catching everybody's attention once again, "Can I just cut in real fast, I kinda have news for you too"

"Oh good God, tell me you're not pregnant" Giles checked, removing his glasses for no apparent reason except he'd got worked up about all this.

"Funny you should mention..." she said, shooting Spike a look which he returned, "But no" she confirmed, "Actually I think you're gonna like this news, at least half of it" she smirked, "I finally decided runnin' around with a dozen guys ain't doin' me no good, so sweet little Faithie who you guys all love and adore" she joked, hands pressed together and eyes pointing heavenward as she mocked a praying angel, "went and got herself somebody to stick with, for a while at least"

"Faith, you have a boyfriend" Buffy gasped, "Like, a real one?"

"Kind of" her sister nodded once, her smirk widening to a grin as she looked out into the hall, towards the front door, "Yo, baby, get in here!" she yelled as a figure appeared beside her in the doorway, "Come meet the folks"

"Good afternoon, strange family of Faith" said the girl, clad in leather, with blue streaks running through her hair, eyes bright and cold as ice.

"Guys, this is Illyria" Faith introduced as she put her arm around the girls waist and the odd young woman followed suit, "We kinda have a thing. It's different, way cooler than what we had" she told Spike, who was too stunned to be offended anyway, "And y'know, Mom, Spike is better for B than for me, he's not the badass he looks, and that was a damn shame" she smirked at the bleached blond, who returned the expression, "He'll treat little sister okay, y'know?" she told her Mom and Step-Dad who were still staring at Illyria in apparent shock, as was Buffy.

"I know I am beautiful, but must they stare at me so much?" Illyria asked Faith, "It is disconcerting"

"I think maybe we should split, let reality catch up on them" she smiled, "And hey, if you're still worried about Spike and B" she told her parents as she turned to leave, "Trust me when I tell you he won't step out of line. He'd have me to answer to if he did, and who do you think gave him the bruises?" she said, with a wink as she gestured one hand towards Spike's face which was still a little purple around his nose from the punch she'd thrown a few days ago.

As her sister walked away, a laugh escaped Buffy's throat that she wasn't even expecting. She just couldn't help her reaction to such an extreme situation. She needn't have worried about her parents reaction to Spike. It wasn't great but they'd get over it. As always, Faith had gone one better, and this time, her crazy outlandish behaviour had actually paid off for Buffy.

"I love my sister" she said softly, "I really do"

The End

_**(except for the Epilogue, which will follow tomorrow!)  
**_


	35. Epilogue

**A/N : Here it is, the absolute final installment, a happy ever after ending for all - most importantly for Buffy & Spike :-)  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. -see chapter 1)**_

Epilogue

"Miss Buffy Anne Giles" her name was announced, and the next Sunnydale High graduate approached the podium, smiling brightly as she took her diploma and shook the Principal's hand.

In the front row of the audience, her mother snapped a picture, her Dad beamed proudly, and her boyfriend shot a grin and a wink her way when he caught her looking down on those that loved her. The only person missing from the scene, Buffy noted, as she joined Willow, Xander, Anya, and Wesley on the another side of the stage, was her sister, Faith.

As the final members of the Graduating class received their diplomas and stepped off the stage, the Principal began his closing speech. He was halfway through when a loud squeal of tyres and a growling engine caught the attention of most of the crowd.

Students, parents, officials, everybody turned and watched, some with a grin and several in horror as a motorcycle was ridden from the street, bumped up the kerb and shot down the centre of the seated audience, missing the stage by mere inches as the rider steered a hard right and pulled up in front of Buffy's unsuspecting family.

"Hey guys" Faith grinned as she hopped off the back of the bike, slapping her riding buddy on the shoulder, "You stayin' man?"

"Sure, why not?" Miss Lehane's latest flame smiled as he pulled off his helmet, revealing the last person Spike expected to see.

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, "Finn?!" he looked stunned at the sight of his boss' son, as Buffy too spotted who her sister had ridden in with.

"What?" Faith shrugged, "I swung by the garage hopin' to catch a ride before you left" she explained, "Turns out I was runnin' a little late, and your guy Finn here gave me a... ride" she said, with a flash in her eyes that told Spike and Buffy both that there was another reason why Faith was so late to the Graduation ceremony.

"Excuse me, Miss..." the Principal began, leaning down off the stage and yelling at the new arrival - he shut up fast when he realised who he was talking to.

"Hey, Mr Flutie. How's tricks?" she asked the man, who bumbled a little, smiling awkwardly as Faith struck a pose that showed off all she had, from the stage he had a pretty good view of her assets and she knew it.

"Miss Lehane, how lovely to see you" he babbled, "But, er, perhaps you could take a seat so we can finish here?" he suggested.

"Sure thing, Mr F" she smiled, with a wink as Riley propped up the motorcycle right there in front of the crowd, and the two of them shared the spare seat next to Buffy's parents, Faith comfortably perched in Riley's lap, popping her gum loudly all through the Principal's speech.

Buffy couldn't help but laugh at her sister's antics. She really loved to make an entrance, and maybe in some ways she'd been upstaged by her crazy half-sibling, but it was cool. Honestly, they both liked to be centre of attention, and if they could do that together, so much the better.

When the Principal finally finished his speech with the immortal words 'class dismissed', Buffy couldn't wait to run to her family. Her parents hugged her tight, followed by Faith as Spike shook Wes' hand and similar actions took place amongst all the friends and family.

A lot had happened in the past year or so and it made Buffy's head spin to think about it. Still, the important stuff had stayed the same, her and Spike were still together, their love having endured everything as they'd known it would. Joyce and Giles had come to realise Spike was not the bad guy they'd thought he was. Faith had moved in with Illyria and then on from there, whilst Spike switched apartments so his girlfriend would feel comfortable enough to visit. Buffy loved her life, and coped pretty well with being the girl who's boyfriend wasn't in High School, as Willow stuck with Wes and Xander held on to Anya. It had all worked out pretty perfectly really.

As Joyce and Giles began admonishing Faith for effectively gate-crashing Buffy's graduation, the little blonde herself managed to get a few moments alone time with Spike, and she was grinning as she faced him.

"Well, that's it" she smiled, arms locked around his neck as his hands held her at the waist, "I guess I'm officially a grown-up now"

"You've been that a while, pet" he told her, "Wish I could say the same for your sister" he smirked, as the two of them glanced at Faith.

"How long do you think she'll last with Riley?" Buffy chuckled, "I mean, I kinda guessed when she wrote off men to be with Illyria it wouldn't last long - six months was a miracle"

"I don't give a stuff how long Faithie keeps her lasted play-thing" Spike admitted, as he looked down into Buffy's eyes, "You and me, we're gonna last forever"

"And then some" she agreed, "I knew I was always right to believe in fairytales"

"Whatever you say, luv" he nodded with a smile, as he leant in to cover her lips with his in a passionate kiss, hoping she was right, and that they'd all live happily ever after.

- The End -


End file.
